UrbnSpice

"A Taste Of Heart & Home"

Dairy Free

Junior Chefs’ Best Cookies – GF, DF, Low Refined Sugar

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Kids in the Kitchen Series

It is no secret that I enjoy having children in my kitchen. I love being a part of their eagerness and excitement when I suggest that we do some baking together. Today, we were presented with a different type of baking challenge. Their grandfather requested cookies that included some of his most favourite ingredients. Additionally, we had to consider several dietary restrictions: the cookies had to be healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free and low in refined sugar. Together we came up with a delicious cookie recipe that the children appropriately named, “Junior Chefs’ Best Cookies.”  Skip to Recipe

Junior Chef's Best Cookies | urbnspice.com

Junior Chef’s Best Cookies are Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Low Refined Sugar and delicious!

Baking is a great opportunity to teach children all about measurements such as fractions, weight, volume and calculating yield. These are skills that they need to learn and it sure is a fun way to create memories that will last a lifetime.

“Always eat something that the farmer grows as part of your snack” was the standing rule that we had with our daughters and now that same rule applies to our grandchildren. Okanagan apricots are in season. We really enjoy this fruit, which is juicy and sweet and always creates a drippy mess on our fingers. The rewards for eating what the farmer grows are these delicious healthy cookies! How great is that?…

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Homemade Grape Tomato Ketchup

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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

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Whole Grain Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Mini Muffins

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What do you do when you have to bake for a young child who is unable to tolerate wheat or dairy? You can bake these delicious 8-grain or 4-grain mini muffins. This recipe for Whole Grain Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Mini Muffins uses a wheat-free hot cereal as a base. The cereal is soaked in non-dairy milk for 10-30 minutes before you add the remaining ingredients. The mini muffins have a wonderful crunchiness that is very pleasing. I have used either of Bob’s Red Mill 8-Grain Hot Cereal, or Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal (4 wheat-free grains) and both provide a very good result.

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Whole Grain Gluten Free airy Free Mini Muffins | urbnspice.com

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How to Make Homemade Maple Molasses Caramel Popcorn

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CULINARY HISTORIANS OF CANADA 150 FOOD BLOG CHALLENGE SERIES

Prelude: I am a proud Canadian. When the Culinary Historians of Canada (CHC) invited food bloggers to participate in the “CHC Canada 150 Food Blog Challenge”, I knew that I wanted in! What a great way to celebrate and honour Canada’s 150th birthday by featuring a different Canadian dish or discussing a topic which reflects on what it means to be Canadian. For October, the Culinary Historians invited bloggers to post about all things autumnal, including the special foods we associate with Thanksgiving, Hallowe’en and other festivals. The first thing that came to my mind was the treats that my Mom would prepare for the trick or treaters at Hallowe’en. The neighbourhood children knew that my Mom would be giving away some type of special homemade treat like colourful popcorn balls, candy apples, fudge and the ever-popular bags of Maple Molasses Caramel Popcorn, commonly known as Cracker Jacks.

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Maple Molasses Caramel Popcorn | urbnspice.com

Maple Molasses Caramel Popcorn

When I was a child, homemade Hallowe’en treats were the norm. We lived in a small village in the country where children worked very hard to earn their Hallowe’en treats as most of the houses were spaced quite far apart. I loved helping with the preparations for Hallowe’en. My father grew some of the biggest and best pumpkins in the area in his large vegetable garden. We set aside a day to carve pumpkins, which became a neighbourhood event with the local kids. Our large front porch was decorated festively with corn stalks and all our jack-o-lanterns. The best part for me was helping to make all the Hallowe’en treats!…

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Coconut Orange Pudding – Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Egg free, Nut free and Refined Sugar Free

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The Inspiration of Urbnspice Series

The inspiration for this Coconut Orange Pudding recipe came about due to a few points:

  • I had some coconut milk liquid (leftover from making whipped coconut cream)
  • I needed a dairy-free dessert for a lactose intolerant guest
  • I wanted a somewhat lighter dessert option
  • I had some Sunflower Butter Crumbles that I wanted to try in several different recipes (more on that later).
Coconut Orange Pudding: dairy free, gluten free, nut free, egg free, refined sugar free | urbnspice.com

Coconut Orange Pudding | urbnspice.com

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SunFlower Butter Crumble

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The Inspiration of Urbnspice Series

Straight up front, this recipe for Sunflower Butter Crumble is a fortuitous recipe. As a matter of fact, my Pinterest by-line is  ‘Inspiration in my kitchen is often an experimental coincidence!’  This was definitely one of those times when an experiment turned into something else coincidentally.

Sometimes, those are the very best recipes, don’t you think? Think about Eaton Mess, for instance – pure happenstance. Popsicles were invented by accident. So were potato chips….the list goes on.  The point is, all of these so-called mishaps are actually famous food products today. I think that I should rename these ‘The Serendipitous Sunflower Butter Crumbles.’  I am not sure if my Sunflower Butter Crumble will become famous, but I am sure you will enjoy trying them.  They are delicious.  They have a crunchy, buttery texture (although they are nut free and dairy free).  As a matter of fact, Sunflower Butter Crumble is gluten free, grain free, nut free, dairy free, egg free and refined sugar-free.

Sunflower Butter Crumbles | urbnspice.com

Sunflower Butter Crumbles

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The Ultimate Sunflower Butter Breakfast Bars – Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free, Egg Free, & Refined Sugar Free

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The very reason that these Ultimate Sunflower Butter Breakfast Bars were created was due entirely to another recipe I was updating for Nut Butter and No-Nut Butter Cookies. I had been experiment making Sunflower Seed Butter – let’s just say that resulted in an interesting reaction. You can read my Funny Sunflower seed butter story in this post.

The moral of the story is: good things happen to those who are determined. I was very pleased with the outcome with my recipe for Sunflower Butter and also my bonus sunflower butter crumbles that resulted from trial and repeat.  In addition to these Ultimate Sunflower Butter Breakfast Bars, stay tuned for Coconut Orange Pudding with Sunflower Butter Crumble garnish – another Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Egg free, Nut free and Refined Sugar-Free dessert.

Sunflower Butter Bars | urbnspice.com

Sunflower Butter Bars

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Holiday Cookie Roundup by Food Bloggers of Canada

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RECIPE ROUNDUPS

Recently, the Food Bloggers of Canada had a call-out for Holiday Cookies.  You are going to have fun with this recipe roundup of 40 cookies.  I am thrilled to say that one of my cookie recipes was chosen as part of this Holiday Cookie Roundup.  I had a bit of food fun in the kitchen with a very young child and he was thrilled to help out the colourful Vanilla Bean Poppers – Holiday Food Fun Variation.  I hope you will enjoy browsing through this roundup of amazing cookies from Food Bloggers of Canada and have some fun baking this holiday season.  Please visit the bloggers and tell them how much you enjoyed their recipes.

You want cookies? We've got cookies! 40 different kinds in our FBC Holiday Cookie Guide – 40 recipes from classic…

Posted by Food Bloggers of Canada on Saturday, December 10, 2016

 

Here is a photo of the Vanilla Bean Poppers – Holiday Food Fun Variation. Bake with a young helper – believe me, you will have just as much fun as the little one.  I give you step by step details in the recipe.

Vanilla Bean Poppers - Christmas version | urbnspice.com

Lay the cut Vanilla Bean Poppers on their side on a parchment lined tray and bake according to the directions given in the recipe below

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White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Mini Cheesecakes with Gluten Free Crust

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I love cheesecake! Just about everyone in my circle of family and friends will answer “cheesecake” when asked what their favourite dessert is.  I like to make sure that no one is left out due to dietary restrictions, so I developed this recipe for White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Mini Cheesecakes with a Gluten Free Crust. Even the folks that could eat foods with gluten loved this cheesecake.

Although this delicious white chocolate cheesecake recipe will feed a crowd (9-inch springform pan), I prefer to divide the cheesecake custard to make mini cheesecakes (18 – 24 mini cheesecakes). The crust I created for this particular cheesecake is a gluten-free rice flour crust that is pre-baked for just a few minutes before the cheesecake custard is poured in.

For these dainty little cheesecakes, a simple garnish is all that is required. Top each mini cheesecake with a quarter wedge of strawberry or other perfect berry and you will have an impressive dessert for a buffet or dessert tray. Bonus Technique:  I have included a simple technique to make your own white chocolate garnishes as pictured in the photographs below.  I hope you will enjoy trying these White Chocolate Vanilla Bean Mini Cheesecakes.

White Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes | urbnspice.com

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Fun with Pomegranates

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The Confident Kitchen Series

What is the best way to eat and/or use pomegranates?  I have heard many versions and most people talk about struggling to get to the juicy gems (called arils) that are well hidden inside the dry pithy fruit.   I thought it might be a great idea to tell you about one of the easiest (and neater) ways of tackling this unusual fruit.

A beautiful pomegranate

A beautiful pomegranate

Did you know that Pomegranates are considered a Super Food?  They have sources of Vitamins A, D and B-12, and Calcium, Protein, Potassium and fibre, as well as it is a powerful antioxidant. And, they are delicious!

CHEF TALK: The two common methods of extracting the arils from the pomegranate is to score the outside of the pomegranate as shown in the first photo.  Pry the fruit in half.  Using a medium to Large size bowl, hold the pomegranate half (or pieces) over the bowl and use the back of a wooden spoon to tap firmly against the fruit and the arils will fall into the bowl.

The second method, which is a technique that I prefer, is as follows.  If you try this technique, you will have a minimum of pink speckles all over your kitchen (and little faces if your children or grandchildren are helping you).

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