According to Wikipedia, Valentine’s Day is  “an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines“)”.

Well, my definition of Valentine’s Day is an occasion to celebrate love. And love is not synonym of lovers. Love is present in our relationships with friends and relatives… even in our relationships with our pets .

So let’s celebrate love in all its forms!

And I decided to do this by making cupcakes. And giving them to my friends today.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Adaptation of Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes, Oh She Glows

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup lightly packed cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond)
• 1 cup golden cane sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tbsp red food coloring

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup earth balance (or butter), softened
• 1/2 cup cream cheese (vegan or regular)
• 1 tbsp milk (I used unsweetened almond)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 cups icing sugar

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. In a medium bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt with a whisk.

In a second bowl, beat the milk, sugar, oil, vinegar, vanilla and food coloring with an electric mixer on low speed. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 22-25 minutes, until the cupcake slowly springs back when pressed with a finger. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat the earth balance/butter and the cream cheese until combined. Beat in the milk and vanilla. Add the icing sugar in 1/2 cup batches. When all the sugar is added, beat for 5 more minutes, or until the frosting is white.

I frosted the cupcakes with a pastry bag and 2D tip and made a rose by swirling inside-out. I decorated with chocolate ganache and heart candies.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Delicious cupcakes to show your love to someone .

I made my Lemon Cupcakes for a girl’s night. And a must-have when I have people coming at my place is also crudites with a homemade dip.

I’m known for being the one who cooks a lot, who loves to cook, who makes delicious food, who has a food blog… So there is no way I invite people over and serve them a store-bought dip .
Or any store-bought precessed food for that matter (obviously, some things, like the vegetables, have to be store-bought ).

Last time I hosted a “party” was last summer and I made my Garlicky Creamy Spinach Dip. This time, I wanted to make a more “regular” smooth vegetable dip. And since when I buy dips for myself, I love the yogurt-based ones (my favorite is Renée’s Peppercorn Ranch), I decided to use greek yogurt to make it.

Greek Yogurt Onion Vegetable Dip

Adaptation of Fresh Vegetable Dip, Taste of Home

Ingredients:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 3/4 to 1 cup canola oil (or other light-tasting oil, like grapeseed, safflower…)
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt
• Dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dill weed
• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions: Whisk the egg yolk with the mustard, then add the lime juice. Slowly pour in the oil while whisking continuously, until you have a thick and creamy mayonnaise. Mix in the greek yogurt, then add the Worcestershire sauce and spices. Chill at least 1 hour, ideally overnight. Keep covered in the refrigerator.

Yields approximately 2 cups

I love onion dips and this one is no exception. The yogurt made it extra creamy and refreshing. Definitely a keeper for  healthy snack.

Last holiday season, sometime between Christmas and New Year’s, I made cupcakes. Carrot cupcakes. Deliciiious carrot cupcakes.

This weekend, I was hosting a girl’s night at my place and made 2 batches of cupcakes, one of which was my deliciiious carrot cupcakes. Well… two horrible carrot cupcake batches later (this is why you have to write what you do in the kitchen, even when you’re not at home!), and not much time left on the clock, made me improvise with what I had on hand.

A look in my baked goods goodies basket was the solution: lemon extract.

Oh… and the fact that I love anything dessert + lemon.

Lemon cupcakes it was.

Sweet Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Adaptation of “Golden Vanilla Cupcakes”, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk (I used unsweetened almond)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup golden cane sugar
• Zest of 1/2 lemon (finely grated)
• 1 1/2 tsp pure lemon extract
• 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup earth balance or butter, softened
• 1/2 cup cream cheese (vegan or regular), softened
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups icing sugar
• 5 drops yellow food coloring (optional)

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. Whisk the milk and lemon juice in a measuring cup and set aside to get curdled.

In a small/medium bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a second bowl, beat the milk mixture, oil, sugar, lemon zest and extracts with a hand mixer. Add the dry ingredients and mix until no large clumps remain.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake 20-22 minutes until done. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat the earth balance/butter and the cream cheese until combined. Beat in the milk and vanilla. Add the icing sugar in 1/2 cup batches. When all the icing sugar is added, mix for 5 more minutes, then add the food coloring if using.

I frosted the cupcakes with a pastry bag & 2D tip and decorated with sprinkles, red raspberry & sour lemon candies.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

I am in love with these cupcakes. If you like lemon desserts, you’ll definitely love these!

I didn’t know if I was using the right amount of lemon extract but it ended up to be just enough. The cream cheese frosting is perfect with the sweet & sour lemon cake. And the candy was just and extra treat .

Oh… and did I say I made 2 batches of cupcakes? Yep… the other one is for next time .

I don’t make chinese/thai food very often. Why? Simple: takeout. But that’s not a very good reason… Is there anything easier and quicker than a stir-fry for dinner (besides a sandwich)?. Might take more time to walk to Thai Express…

I’ve also never made anything else than a regular stir-fry. My favorites are Singapore noodles and Pad Thai, so I definitely want to master these two, but tonight’s post is about an other dish… Lo Mein.

Now don’t ask me if this is any similar to takeout Lo Mein, I never had any! It definitely is less salty than any takeout dinner, but the important is: it was tasty .

Veggie Lo Mein

Adaptation of Veggie Lo Mein, Three Many Cooks

Ingredients:

• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 250 g Yet-Ca-Mein noodles (or other oriental spaghetti-style noodles)
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 small/medium white onion, halved from pole to pole, each half cut into sixths
• 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
• 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 can (199 ml) sliced bamboo shoots
• 3 eggs, beaten

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup low fat coconut milk
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp hot sauce
• 1 tsp honey
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/2 tbsp grated ginger

Directions: Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Boil or steam broccoli for 2-3 minutes. Add noodles to the same water and cook according to package directions.

Whisk all the sauce ingredients together.

Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add onion and stir-fry 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms, carrots, celery and bamboo shoots and stir-fry a couple more minutes. Add steamed broccoli and stir-fry 30 seconds.

Push the veggies to the sides and add eggs in the middle. Stir until eggs are cooked. Add noodles and stir-fry 30 seconds, then stir in sauce.

Serves 4-5

This was an easy, tasty dinner. The sauce is AMAZING. It is definitely what gives a great flavor to the (tasteless) noodles. You could make this dish vegan by using tofu (add at the beginning with the onions) instead of eggs and sugar instead of honey .

Confession: Too much of my time is passed on Pinterest. This thing is addicting. And creates many needs. For houses you will probably never be able to afford, travels that won’t happen, objects you don’t need…

Recipes, so many recipes you can’t make them all… I think I could eat for the rest of my life making each recipe only one time.

And projects. Who knew there were so many things you can do yourself?! But I can now officially tell you… I made something thanks to Pinterest!

I am still trying to find a menu planning, grocery shopping method that I like to do and works for me. I am not horrible at menu planning, but I definitely make more of a 4-5 days plan then a weekly plan. And I need a weekly plan. An organized, official, written, in-my-face weekly plan (compared to the current in-my-head plan).

And seeing tons of menu boards on Pinterest made me think…

Maybe having a beautiful menu board I made all by myself is a great incentive to really think about my meals for the next 7 days. And have it in my face for the whole week. And make a grocery list according to this plan. And not go to the grocery store 2-3 times a week. Nothing to lose here…

I have to say, I really liked the boards with the recipe cards. But let’s face it: as a food blogger, there is no always-eating-the-same-thing here (doesn’t help with meal planning, but hey… trying and creating new recipes is fun ).

So the wipe-off menu definitely is the best in my case. But I want to plan not only dinners, I also want to plan lunches. And need space for that. And then the idea just came to me…

I used a collage frame to have a 4 x 6 space for each day. Now here is how I made it…

Supplies:

• A collage frame (8 x 4 by 6 inch)
• Dry-erase marker

+ …

• A computer
• Internet
• A color printer
• Scissors…

Using the computer, go on the Internet and search Google images for scrapbook paper. Find one you like. Save. Open Paint or equivalent and make a new blank 4 x 6 inch (300 x 450 pixels) image. Use saved image as background. Write Menu on one, days of the week on 7 others. If desired, select different scrapbook papers or different parts of one (copy/paste selected part). Print using color printer. Cut using scissors. Place in frame. Hang on wall.

That’s what I call a cheap project. All you need to do is find a cheap frame.

You can also use real scrapbook paper and print the days of the week on it.

Hope you like it

I don’t make special breakfasts often these days. Because let’s face eat: when you eat breakfast alone, PB & J sandwiches are way easier than an elaborate breakfast (and I love them ). And when I do make something, it will be muffins or bread… I can bring it with me in the morning when I’m running late, which can be useful sometimes often.

A friend sleeping over last week was the perfect time to look for something new to make for breakfast. And I knew exactly what I wanted to make: bread pudding. (I always eat my bread pudding for breakfast, it’s baked french toast )

A little look at my recipe archives and my bookmarks was all I needed to find a bread pudding I wanted to make.

Pumpkin, Cranberry & Raisin Bread Pudding

Adaptation of Cranberry-Raisin Bread Pudding, my recipes – Pumpkin Bread Pudding, Smitten Kitchen – and Raisin Cinnamon Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• Pinch ground cloves
• 1 raisin bread (500 g), cubed
• 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries

Directions: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Whisk in the pumpkin puree, vanilla, brown sugar and spices. Add the bread and toss until well coated, then stir in pecans and cranberries.

Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or a little oil. Pour in the bread pudding. Cover with foil and let sit in the refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, preheat oven to 350°F. If your baking dish is in glass, make sure to let them sit on the counter a little so that they do not break from the change of temperature.

Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes. Serve warm with maple syrup.

Note: if you want to make this for dessert, you can make it earlier in the day. Baking it right away might work too.

Serves 6-8

This bread pudding was so good! It has lots of flavor: the subtle pumpkin, the crunchy pecans, the sweet raisins and the tart, juicy cranberries. And the delicious maple syrup if you decide to add some .

Have a great week! I’ll be back on Thursday with a little DIY project!

I used to not like hate risotto. Until I learned how to like it. I am now in love with risotto!

Step 1. Stir, stir, stir. I thought risotto was too sticky, but the trick is to add a ladle of broth at a time and stir. Risotto is not regular rice!

Step 2. Have fun with flavors. Regular mushroom risotto is delicious. But there is much more you can do with arborio rice! Like…

• Lemon & Broccoli Risotto
• Mushroom and Leek Risotto
• And my favorite, Pumpkin Mushroom Risotto (made it twice in one week!)

And a close second to the Pumpkin Risotto, although it didn’t take 1st place…

Butternut Squash Risotto

Adaptation of Risotto à la citrouille, au citron et au parmensan, Menu Végé

Ingredients:

• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 2 pounds (1/2 big) butternut squash, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 1/8 tsp turmeric
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup parmesan
• Salt, pepper to taste

Directions: In a small saucepan, heat broth over medium heat until hot. Add rosemary and reduce heat to low. Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan or very large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion gets translucent. Add rice and butternut squash and cook for 1-2 more minutes.

Add wine and turmeric and cook, stirring, until wine is evaporated. Add a two ladles of broth and cook, stirring, until liquid is absorbed. Continue to add a ladle of broth at a time, stirring, until liquid is evaporated after each addition.

Stir in lemon juice, parmesan, salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 6

This risotto was really good. The lemon, parmesan, rosemary and turmeric add a great flavor. A little but of the squash gets blended in the risotto but you still keep nice big chunks. It is also very filling!

You can use chopped pumpkin instead of butternut .

Last week: final exams.

This week: after sleep, the first thing I really wanted to do was to go in my kitchen and make something special. Make cupcakes. Because I loooove to make cupcakes. And I deserve a nice treat .

I opened my newly acquired (aka acquired a couple months ago but never used it) Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World cookbook to find a cupcake I wanted to make. I saw the picture. I drooled. I wanted to make these. Banana Split Cupcakes it was.

See what I mean?

Banana Split Cupcakes

Light adaptation of “Banana Split Cupcakes”, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

Ingredients:

Cupcake:

• 1/2 cup pineapple jam or preserves (I used pineapple & mango jam)
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 3/4 cup golden cane sugar
• 1/2 cup well mashed very ripe banana (I used 2 small bananas)
• 1/3 cup safflower (or canola) oil
• 2/3 cup milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
• 1/4 cup finely chopped dark chocolate

Chocolate Ganache:

• 1/8 cup milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
• 2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup

Buttercream:

• 1/2 cup earth balance or butter
• 2 tbsp milk (I used almond milk)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 3 cups icing sugar

Toppings:

• 1/8 cup chopped walnuts
• Rainbow sprinkles
• 6 maraschino cherries, cut in half

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners. In a small saucepan, stir pineapple jam over low heat until melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar with a whisk. In a second bowl, whisk mashed banana, oil, milk, vanilla and almond extract. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.

Fill liners 2/3 full. Top the batter of each cupcake with the pineapple jam (about 1 tsp each) and the chopped chocolate (about 1/2 tsp each). With a small knife, stir each cupcake a couple times to swirl in  the jam and chocolate. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

When ready to frost the cupcakes, start by making the chocolate ganache. In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped chocolate and maple syrup until well combined. Set aside at room temperature while you make the buttercream.

To make the buttercream, beat the butter or earth balance with a hand mixer (or a stand mixer if you have one). Mix in the milk, vanilla and salt, then add the sugar 1/4 cup at a time. When all the sugar is incorporated, mix for 5-10 more minutes (the frosting will get extra fluffy).

To assemble the cupcakes, top them with the buttercream. I used a pastry bag with a large star (1M) tip. Drizzle the cooled ganache on top of the buttercream, then sprinkle with the chopped nuts and sprinkles. Top each cupcake with 1/2 a cherry.

Makes 12 cupcakes

If you want an extra-sweet treat, this is the one! The banana cake is delicious, and the jam on top adds an extra burst of flavor. Buttercream is my favorite frosting and I always use this recipe to make it. I’ve made it with earth balance and with butter a couple times and both give great results.

But what I love most about these cupcakes is how good they look. If only they could stay good forever, I’d keep one as a souvenir…

At least I have pictures .

Non-cupcake related talk…

Last week, I had a great surprise waiting for me in my inbox. The Fairy Hobmother visited my blog and granted me an Amazon.ca gift card! Never heard of the Fairy Hobmother? She visits blogs and leaves gifts to reward hard working bloggers! And she might visit one of the readers that leave a comment on this post (hint, hint )

The change from summer to autumn also means it’s time to change from summer food for winter food. And what I’m really craving when it gets cold outside is soups, stews and pasta.

Every week since the end of October, I’ve made a batch of soup, stew or pasta sauce. It’s comfort food. And leftovers for the whole week!

I’ve made…

• Pumpkin Chili
• Veggie Barley Soup
• Spiced Veggilicious Pasta Sauce (twice)
• and a Creamless Cream of Vegetable (that’s not perfect yet)

When I saw Courtney’s Spinach Lentil Soup, I remembered how much I love spinach and lentils soups, and how long it has been since I’ve had some. I actually planned to follow the recipe, but ended up feeling creative in the kitchen .

Spinach, Lentil & Rice Soup

Adaptation of Spinach Lentil Soup, Sweet Tooth Sweet Life

Ingredients:

• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 liter vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried sage
• 1 bay leaf
• salt, pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup french lentils, rinsed
• 1/8 cup wild rice
• 1/4 cup brown rice
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 package (500 g) frozen chopped spinach
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

Directions: In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes, until tender. Add the broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, sage, bay leaf, salt, pepper, lentils and wild rice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, add brown rice, carrots, celery, frozen spinach and tomatoes. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Serves 6-8

This soup is delicious. If you like lentil soup, you’ll definitely like this one. The vegetable broth, tomatoes and lentils make a delicious broth and the Worcestershire sauce adds a little extra flavor.  And you’ve got all you need in there: vegetables, protein and grains! Perfect meal with a little bread on the side.