• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

UrbnSpice

"A Taste Of Heart & Home"

  • Home
  • About
  • My Recipes
  • UrbnSpice EBooks
  • UrbnSpice Confitures

Archives for July 2018

Dark Cherry Vanilla Dairy-Free Ice (Nice) Cream with Dark Cherry Vanilla Compote

By Denise Pare-Watson

Kids in the Kitchen Series

Cherries are in season in the Okanagan and there are so many ways to enjoy them. I could only eat so many raw cherries, and I needed to expand my repertoire of ways how to use these beautiful cherries. With that in mind, I have been playing with recipes for cherry compote, cherry cordial, cherry Danish and the featured recipe, Dark Cherry Vanilla Dairy-Free Ice (Nice) Cream.

Dark Cherry Vanilla Dairy-Free Ice (Nice) Cream | urbnspice.com

Dark Cherry Vanilla Dairy-Free Ice (Nice) Cream and Dark Cherry Vanilla Compote

There are members of my family who are dairy intolerant; so I developed my own version of a dairy-free dark cherry ice cream.   One option is to use coconut milk for a dairy free alternative because it provides the same texture and creamy mouthfeel that an ice cream base made with cream would provide. Full Fat Coconut milk is quite expensive when compared to the cream that is used in regular ice cream. Therefore, for a number of reasons, I have used bananas to supplement the base mixture. Bananas add flavour and a natural sweetness to the base and are a more economical way to make dairy-free ice cream rather than using only coconut milk.

Dark Cherry Vanilla Dairy-Free Ice (Nice) Cream | urbnspice.com

Dark Cherry Vanilla Dairy-Free Ice (Nice) Cream

It is interesting to note that when bananas are utilized as a major ingredient in dairy-free ice cream, it is called “Nice Cream.” The term ‘Nice Cream’ has become a common culinary term. “Nice Cream” is defined by the process of puréeing or blending chunks of frozen bananas into a soft style ice cream. While I enjoy the smoothness of this frozen dessert, it does not hold up well when you serve it. The addition of coconut milk creates a much more stable velvety texture with a delicious creamy flavour. When chopped dark cherries are added, this dairy-free frozen treat is taken to a new level. I have included almond extract in the ingredients because it pairs so well with cherries (omit for nut allergies).

There is one ingredient that you might not expect in this dairy-free ice cream and that is gelatine powder. Gelatine helps with the texture of this dairy-free ice cream, which can often be as hard as a puck due to the lack of fat and sugar. CHEF’S NOTE: Granulated sugar is often used in ice cream recipes because it does not freeze and keeps the ice cream from over crystalizing. You can use any type of sugar (granulated, liquid sugar such as maple syrup, honey, etc.). Sugar unquestionably gives the ice cream a more familiar texture. As Julia Child said, “Everything in moderation – including moderation.” It is really all about balance in everything that you eat. As frozen desserts go, a small portion of this ice cream treat is a healthier and enjoyable dairy-free option. Dark Cherry Vanilla Dairy-Free Ice (Nice) Cream is also gluten-free, egg-free, refined sugar-free and nut-free (if you omit the almond extract).

Typically, I will have lots of cherries left over, so I also want to share with you a recipe on how to make a delicious Dark Cherry & Vanilla Compote that is ready in less than five minutes. Dollop a spoonful of this compote on top of a serving of Dark Cherry Vanilla Dairy-Free Ice (Nice) Cream and you will have your guests and family coming back for seconds as this delicious compote goes so well with the Nice Cream….

Read More »

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
License Type:Commercial
License Abstract:You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Dairy Free Recipes, Desserts and Sweets, Egg Free Recipes, Gluten Free Recipes, Grain Free Recipes, Ice Cream, Kids in the Kitchen, My Recipes, Nut Free Recipes, Preservative Free, Refined Sugar Free Recipes Tagged With: Dairy Free Recipes, Frozen Desserts, Gluten Free Desserts, Gluten Free Recipes, Kids in the Kitchen, Refined Sugar Free

Fresh Peaches and Cream Corn and Chicken Chowder

By Denise Pare-Watson

The Inspiration of Urbnspice Series

Chowder is a rich and hearty style of soup that is typically made using fish and seafood, smoked bacon, potatoes, vegetables and corn niblets. In this recipe for Fresh Peaches and Cream Corn and Chicken Chowder, I have substituted poultry for the fish and seafood to create a delicious soup that I know you will find flavourful and satisfying.  Skip to Recipe

Fresh Peaches and Cream Corn and Chicken Chowder | urbnspice.com

Fresh Peaches and Cream Corn and Chicken Chowder is a satisfying bowlful of comfort food.

My inspiration for this post is seasonal fresh Peaches and Cream corn, a tender, sweet and creamy tasting variety that is an excellent choice for this chowder recipe.  The corn niblets take this chowder to another level, but why stop there?  I also included the bare cobs in the ingredient list, which are used for a flavour enhancing technique. Serve this chowder with Potato Scones, hot biscuits, buns, or thick slices of fresh bread and butter for a meal that is fit for a king….

Read More »

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
License Type:Commercial
License Abstract:You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Cooking Techniques, Gluten Free Recipes, Inspiration of Urbnspice Series, My Recipes, Soups and Chowders Tagged With: Chicken, Cooking Techniques, Corn, Gluten Free Recipes, Soups and Chowders

French Canadian Yellow Split Pea Soup – A Historical Perspective

By Denise Pare-Watson

Soupe de Pois Cassés Jaune

This year marks the 350th anniversary of the founding of Sault St. Marie. The Culinary Historians of Ann Arbor reached out to me regarding French Food Ways of the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes. French Canadian cuisine played a significant role in the history and development of Sault Ste. Marie and given my French Canadian heritage and culinary interests, I welcomed the opportunity to write this article on my version of traditional French Canadian Yellow Split Pea Soup.French Canadian Pea Soup with Pancetta Garnish | urbnspice.com

French Canadian Yellow Split Pea Soup was a staple food and has its Sault Ste. Marie roots established in the voyageur trading routes, which extended from Montreal through the Great Lakes all the way through to the Grande Portage. Peas were a crop easily grown at trading posts such as Sault Ste. Marie and this made restocking of supplies possible. During the fur-trading era, the waterways were the roads and canoes were the means of transport. The Voyageurs (the French word for travellers) made the difficult 12 to 16-week journey to deliver their trading goods. One needs to understand the physical characteristics and demands on these men, and why their diet was so important. Voyageurs were required to be short in stature (approximately 5’, 4”) because the space in the canoe was needed for cargo. They had to be young, strong and healthy to endure the very fast-paced paddling, harsh conditions related to the weather or the terrain and their dawn-to-dusk workday….

Read More »

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
License Type:Commercial
License Abstract:You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Beans and Legumes, Cooking Techniques, My Recipes, Soups and Chowders, Vintage Recipes Tagged With: Culinary Historians, Soups, Vintage Recipes, Yellow split peas

All-Canadian Poutine with a Blenditarian Twist

By Denise Pare-Watson

BLENDITARIAN CHALLENGE SERIES

Prelude: Blenditarian.Com has initiated a monthly challenge that incorporates their Blenditarian approach into creative and fun dishes.  To clarify for my readers, a Blenditarian is “one who believes the mighty, meaty mushroom makes meals more delicious, nutritious and sustainable.”  This approach stretches ground meat by adding finely chopped mushrooms to create a flavourful and more nutritious dish. The theme for the month of July is all about incorporating “The Blend”(mushrooms + meat) into a “Fiesta” dish. A fiesta is defined as a festival, a carnival, or an excuse for a big party or gathering. When I think of a Canadian festival, poutine is always on the list of menu items. For this reason, I am sharing a recipe for All-Canadian Poutine with a Blenditarian Twist. 

Skip to Poutine Recipe

Skip to Poutine GravyBlenditarian Logo | urbnspice.com

All-Canadian Poutine with a Blenditarian Twist | urbnspice.com

All-Canadian Poutine with a Blenditarian Twist: Caramelized Pork, Mushroom and Maple Topping and All-Canadian Poutine Gravy

The Caramelized Pork, Mushroom and Maple Topping for the poutine incorporates the ‘blend’ in an All-Canadian way. It includes crispy bacon lardons and maple syrup that is used to deglaze the pan. Of course, the gravy that tops the plate is an important component of this dish, and you will find that recipe below, as well. Poutine gravy has a unique colour that is made from a combination of beef broth and chicken broth. This creates the iconic golden brown colour of poutine gravy.…

Read More »

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
License Type:Commercial
License Abstract:You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Appetizers and Small Plates, Blenditarian Challenge, Blenditarian Recipes, Food Fun, Gluten Free Recipes, Main Dishes or Entree Options, My Recipes, Potatoes and Rice Tagged With: Blenditarian Recipes, Canadian Recipes, French Canadian, Gluten Free Recipes, Poutine

All-Canadian Poutine Gravy

By Denise Pare-Watson

There are many Poutine Gravy recipes out there, however, everyone needs to be cognizant of the depth of flavour and complexity of many of these recipes. Bearing that in mind, you will find the following All-Canadian Poutine Gravy recipe simple, easy to follow and very tasty.

Poutine gravy has a unique golden brown colour that is the result of a combination of beef broth and chicken broth. The beef broth alone is too dark, and the chicken broth is too light, but a blend of both produces the characteristic colour of poutine gravy. The flavourful gravy that you will create from my recipe can be used on almost anything and is particularly good on my All-Canadian Poutine with a Blenditarian Twist.

All-Canadian Poutine with a Blenditarian Twist | urbnspice.com

All-Canadian Poutine with a Blenditarian Twist

…

Read More »

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
License Type:Commercial
License Abstract:You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Appetizers and Small Plates, Gluten Free Recipes, Main Dishes or Entree Options, My Recipes, Sauces, Savory Tagged With: Canadian Recipes, French Canadian, Gluten Free Recipes, Gravy, Sauces

Homemade Grape Tomato Ketchup

By Denise Pare-Watson

The Inspiration of Urb’n’Spice Series

One of my most vivid childhood food memories is the aroma in my house when my Mom made ketchup from the bumper crop of tomatoes we always grew in our large backyard garden. The indescribable scent both piquant and zesty wafted throughout the house drawing everyone into the kitchen to peek into the bubbling pot. While I no longer have the large garden of my childhood, I am lucky enough to live in a wonderful part of Canada where fresh produce is easily accessible. The recipe I have provided below for Homemade Grape Tomato Ketchup is easy to make and a great project for you to try when tomatoes are plentiful.   Once you have tasted your own homemade ketchup, you may never go back to store-bought again. I have used grape tomatoes in this recipe – their sweetness and flavour lend themselves well to making this popular condiment.   Any tomato variety can be used for this recipe (see the proportions below), and even a mixture of fresh and canned tomatoes work well. Give it a try! It is well worth the effort.  Skip to Recipe

Homemade Grape Tomato Ketchup | urbnspice.com

Homemade Grape Tomato Ketchup

…

Read More »

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2018 Urb'n'SpiceAll Rights Reserved
Original content here is published under these license terms: X 
License Type:Commercial
License Abstract:You may read the original content in the context in which it is published (at this web address). You may make other uses of the content only with the written permission of the author on payment of a fee.

Filed Under: Condiments & Accompaniments, Dairy Free Recipes, Egg Free Recipes, Food Fun, Gluten Free Recipes, Grain Free Recipes, Inspiration of Urbnspice Series, My Recipes, Preservative Free, Refined Sugar Free Recipes, Sauces, Savory Tagged With: Condiments, Dairy Free, Gluten Free Recipes, Homemade, Ketchup, Preservative Free, Refined Sugar Free, Tomatoes

Primary Sidebar

Search Urbnspice Recipes

Meet Denise – The Urbnspice Chef

Welcome to Urbnspice - A Taste of Heart and Home. Inspiration in my kitchen is often a trip to the market or an experimental coincidence! Come and join me on this culinary journey where I share my passion for the creative, technical and teaching components of the profession and unravel culinary quandaries for you with fun and easy to follow user-friendly recipes, tips & techniques.
Read More…

Denise Pare-Watson: View My Blog Posts

Featured Post

Pomegranate Molasses Sugar Cookies

Pomegranate Molasses Sugar Cookies

Holiday Fruitcake | urbnspice.com

Holiday Fruitcake Made Easy

Categories

Archives

Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 urbnspice.com