Super healthy Valentine chocolates

These super healthy treats aren’t just for Valentine’s day. They can be made all the time in place of high sugar chocolates. Only 4 ingredients and so good. Heart healthy ingredients like walnuts, Medjool dates, maple syrup and cocoa powder are mixed together and voila! Kids will love them too. Top with your favourite topping or just leave them plain.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Serves 24 small molds or 12 medium molds

Ingredients:

• 1 cup walnuts

• 6-8 Medjool dates,pitted

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

Directions:

1. Grind walnuts into powder in a food processor

2. Add Medjool dates to ground walnuts and mash with your hands till mixture is completely incorporated

3. Add cocoa and maple syrup and mix all ingredients in a food processor.

4. Shape into molds of your choice (hearts for Valentines)

5. Top with your favourite dried fruit, coconut, goji berries or just leave them plain.

Enjoy!

Mushrooms in chilli garlic and XOXO sauce

Happy Chinese New year!! This plant based dish is inspired by my friend Rene from Tru Nosh’s XOXO sauce. I added her amazing sauce made with love. It is a super easy dish and can be served as an appetizer or on top of noodles or Chinese fried rice. Enjoy this dish and you can make it as spicy as you want. The XOXO sauce brings the UMAMi flavours out and its perfect for Chinese NewYear!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp sesame oil (or butter and olive oil)

• 1 onion chopped, finely

• 5 garlic cloves minced

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp Chilli garlic sauce

• 2 tbsp True Nosh XOXO sauce

• 1 tsp Himalayan salt

• 2 cups mushrooms

• 2 tsp sesame seeds

• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped fine

• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine

Directions:

1. Add sesame oil to a frying pan on medium heat. Add chopped onions and garlic and saute till onions are translucent.

2. Add rice vinegar, soy sauce and chilli garlic sauce. Saute and then add True Nosh XOXO sauce.

3. Add mushrooms and stir. Keep cooking on medium heat. Add salt and keep cooking mushrooms till done.

4. Mix in chopped green onions, cilantro and sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles or on their own.

Enjoy!

My strawberry hearts

No bake and so simple and easy. These look so divine and classy and so romantic! It’s a great Valentines day dessert but you can make these on any occasion. The graham crumbs are a hit and yes they taste like “New York style” cheese cake. Instead of your regular cheese cake ingredients, I substituted sour cream for thick Greek style yogurt and maple syrup for sugar. You can make it plant-based too by substituting non-dairy cream cheese and cream.

Serves 2

Prep /cook time 10 mins

Ingredients:

• 4oz cream cheese, softened( Daiya plain cream cheese- dairy free)

• 2 tbsp maple syrup

• 1/4 cup thick Greek yogurt ( Chobani oat yogurt)

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 3/4 cup whipping cream( Silk brand dairy free whipping cream)

• 8 large strawberries, (tops cut and split length wise)

• 1/4 cup graham crumbs

Directions

1. Place cream cheese, maple syrup, yogurt,,lemon juice, vanilla extract in an electrical mixer and beat together till smooth.

2. Scrape down sides and set aside.

3. Whip the whipping cream till stiff and fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture till mixture is fully blended.

4. Slice strawberries (the backs so they sit up straight)

5. Fill a piping bag (star tip) with cream cheese mixture and pipe into each strawberry

6. Finish each with a sprinkle of graham crumbs and serve.

Makes 16

Bean Pilaff

Rice and beans is a combination that is cooked in many cultures around the world. The grain and legume combination provides several important nutrients and many calories and both foods are widely available. Rice and beans, when combined make up a complete protein and good for vegans.

My favourite rice and beans combination is a spicy bean pilaff. I make it with any type of bean in my pantry.

Serves 2

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp cooking oil (I use grape seed oil or sunflower oil)

• 1/2 chopped onion

• 1 green chilli slit in half

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 2 cloves whole

• 1 cardamom whole

• If you don’t have above spices you can order a rice pilaff package with a plant based curry spice blend

• 2 medium potatoes 1” cubed

• 1 Roma tomato, chopped

• 1 tsp garlic paste

• 1/2 tsp cayenne (add more if you want it spicy)

• 1/2 cup of your favourite cooked beans

• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1 cup washed and soaked basmati rice

• 1 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a saucepan and add chopped onion. 

2.  Add green chilly, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom and saute till onions become translucent 

3. Then add potatoes and keep stirring so the mixture does not burn.

4.  Add chopped tomato, garlic, and salt. Stir mixture about 3-5 minutes then add any choice of beans

5. Add water and let boil.

6. Once water is boiled, add washed rice and cover for about 15 minutes till you see water has evaporated and you see holes at the top.

7. Cover and simmer till potatoes are cooked through.

8. I love the combination of spicy corn on the side. Check my recipe here. Enjoy!

Spicy seed crackers ( so many different ways)

Whether you are on a Ketogenic diet or on a paleo diet or just want to eat healthy, these super seedy crackers are delicious and so easy to make. These are gluten free, plant based and so tasty. They take about 2 minutes to prepare but baking time is about 2 1/2 to 3 hours. You can do your household chores or watch a show while waiting for these spicy crispy crackers.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

• 1 cup flax meal

• 1/3 cup sesame seeds, hulled raw

• 1/4 cup black chia seeds

• 1 tsp Himalayan salt

• 1 1/4 cup water

You can add the following spices and herbs

1. 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp chives, 1/2 tsp oregano

2. 1/2 tsp parsley, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp marjoram

3. 1/2 tsp coriander ground, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/2 tsp cumin ground

4. 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp chives, 1/2 tsp parsley, 1/2 tsp tarragon

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F

2. Grind the pumpkin seeds in a food processor till coarse

3. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and stir till the seeds gel together ( about 1 minute)

4. Place parchment paper on 2 large baking sheets and flatten the seedy mixture into a thin layer.

5. Use a knife to score the mixture to evenly sized pieces.

6. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours till fully dehydrated, rotating pan half way through. Allow crackers to cool completely, then break apart.

Store crackers in a sealed container up to two weeks.

Okra in spicy yogurt curry

Okra is one of my favourites and is so nutritious. Okra is low in calories and carbs and contains protein and fibre. Okra is an excellent source of vitamin C which contributes to your overall immune function. Okra is a unique vegetable as it provides enough protein which other vegetables lack. Okra is great for lowering cholesterol and gut health.

If you don’t like the yogurt version, I have another recipe without the yogurt here.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp cooking oil (sunflower oil, grape-seed oil, avocado oil)

• 2 medium onions, finely chopped

• 2 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped

• 1 tsp garlic paste

• 1/2 tsp ginger paste

• 1/2 tsp green chilli paste

• 1 1/2 tsp coriander ground

• 1 tsp cumin ground

• 1/2 tsp turmeric ground

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• 1 1/2 Lb okra ( I used frozen okra)

• 1 1/2 cup plain yogurt (plant based or dairy)

• !/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped (save some for garnish)

Directions:

In a medium size pot, saute onions till translucent. Add tomatoes, garlic ginger, green chilli, spices and salt.

Stir the mixture and cook till tomatoes are cooked through and it looks like a good curry base. Add okra and cook for 3-5 minutes and finally add yogurt and cilantro and cook for another minute.

Garnish with cilantro and serve with roti and rice and pickle of your choice.

Enjoy!

Spicy egg curry

Sunday brunch calls for a nice spicy egg curry with a crispy roti and some spicy carrot pickle and a masala chai. My favourite Sunday breakfast. It’s definitely a spicy party in your mouth and very filling. A great brunch for the family and with that roti extra crispy makes it even more tasty. If you want a vegan version of this, check my tofu egg curry recipe here.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp cooking oil

• 1/2 red onion sliced length wise

• 1 green chilli sliced length wise in 4

• 1 Roma tomato chopped fine

• 1 tsp garlic paste

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin ground

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 3 organic eggs

• 1/2 bunch cilantro chopped fine

Directions:

1. In a skillet, heat oil and saute onions, green chilli till onions are translucent

2. Add chopped tomatoes, garlic paste and all of the spices.

3. Add eggs and stir to scramble with the spicy mixture.

4. When eggs are done, add cilantro and cook for another minute

5. Serve with roti and carrot pickle. ( Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner)

Creamy overnight quinoa with banana and chocolate

A great gluten free breakfast packed with protein and so simple to make. If you can’t handle oats, quinoa is a perfect substitute. You can use raw oats but you can’t use raw quinoa. You would have to cook quinoa before using it in your overnight quinoa for breakfast. Quinoa has a pleasant nutty flavour, which works with so many different combinations, both sweet and savoury.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa - directions

• 2 medium bananas, mashed

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt

• 1/2 cup milk (or plant milk)

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 -2 tablespoons maple syrup

• pinch of fine sea salt

• chocolate shavings for topping

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients, stir till all ingredients are mixed properly. Store in a mason jar or an air tight container making sure it is thoroughly clean. Refrigerate overnight.

2. In the morning give it a stir, add a drop of milk if you think it is too thick. Serve in two glasses or bowls.Top with banana slices and some chocolate shavings.

3. Overnight quinoa can be kept for 2 days in the fridge.

Overnight oats so many different ways

To make overnight oats, just use our base recipe below and add your favourite ingredients. Just get creative and enjoy your favourite fruit, nut butter, nuts and seeds, granola, chocolate chips, spices like saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and more in your overnight oats.

Use a clean mason jar and always use slow cooking rolled oats. Below is the base recipe for an individual and quick add on recipes. You can pick and choose from each section to make your favourite combination. Pictured is our favourite saffron, pistachio overnight oats.

Overnight oats last up to 5 days in the refrigerator and are great for meal prep.

Ingredients: (serves 1)

• 1/2 cup rolled oats (slow cooking-old fashioned)

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 cup milk (plant milk or any milk)

• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt

• 1 teaspoon chia seeds

• 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Directions:

In a clean mason jar mix the above ingredients and choose any of the following toppings below, stir well, cover and refrigerate overnight. You may want to add more milk depending on the consistency as the oats soak up all the milk.

1. Saffron, pistachio overnight oats (add 1/4 tsp cardamom powder & 5 strands saffron) stir well with base recipe and refrigerate overnight. Top with crushed pistachios

2. Chocolate banana overnight oats (add 1/2 banana mashed, 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder,) stir well with base recipe and refrigerate overnight. Top with almond butter and chocolate shavings

3. Apple cinnamon overnight oats (add I/2 apple shredded, 1/2 tsp cinnamon ground,) stir well with base recipe and refrigerate overnight. Top with chopped walnuts.

4. Peanut butter and jelly overnight oats (add 2 tbsp peanut butter and 2 tbsp fruit jam) stir well with base recipe and refrigerate overnight.(Top with roasted crushed peanuts)

5. Spicy pear and walnut overnight oats (Bake 1/2 a pear drizzled with a teaspoon of maple syrup and 1/4 tsp cinnamon for 5-7 minutes at 375 degrees or just toss raw into base recipe and refrigerate overnight. Top with chopped walnuts.

6. Add fresh fruit like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, bananas, peaches, pears, pomegranate and apples. Add dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, goji berries, chopped dates, mango or papaya. Add Nuts and seeds like sliced almonds, chopped pecans or walnuts, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, Add Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, cardamom, or nutmeg. Add nut butters like almond butter, and peanut butter, for that extra protein boost

Almond amaretti cookies

These have got to be my old time favourite cookies! They are so moist and chewy and full of almond flavour!! These Italian cookies are are naturally gluten free, made with almond flour, sugar, egg whites and a splash of almond extract. You can also make these sugar free by adding stevia or your favourite sugar free swetener. Enjoy these anytime of the year with a cup of expresso or a tea.

Ingredients

• 5 egg whites

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 5 cups almond flour

• 1 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2tbsp almond extract

• 1/2 cup icing sugar

Directions

1. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt in a mixer till stiff peaks form

2. Add vanilla extract and almond extract and mix again and set mixture aside.

3. In a bowl, add 5 cups of almond flour and sugar and mix.

4. Fold in the almond flour mixture into the egg whites a little at a time with a spatula til you have a thick paste texture.

5. Scoop out the mounds of cookie dough and roll into round balls. Drop the balls into icing sugar and evenly coat them.

6. Place cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly press each cookie with your hand. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.

You can make a little hole in the centre and add an almond, or cherry or jam or a coffee bean.

Enjoy!

Basque burnt cheesecake

You really can’t mess this cheesecake up. It wants to be burned and cracked.. This recipe was inspired by Molly Baz. One of my favourite New York style cheesecake that I enjoy over the holidays.

Ingredients

• unsalted butter for the pan

• 2 LB cream cheese (room temperature)

• 1 1/2 cup sugar

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/3 cup all purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 10” springform pan. Then line with 2 overlapping 16X12”sheets of parchment making sure the parchment comes at least 2” above all sides. You won’t end up with a clean look and that is okay! Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet.

2. Beat cream cheese and sugar in a mixer on medium low till smooth (about 2 mins)

3. Increase speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, beating each egg 15 seconds before adding the next. Add cream, salt and vanilla extract and beat until combined.

4. Pour batter into a prepared pan. bake cheesecake until deeply brown on top and still very jiggly in the centre, 60-65 minutes.

5. Let cool ( It will - don’t worry) completely and remove the parchment carefully. Slice into wedges and serve at room temperature.

6. You should bake ahead and serve chilled

Enjoy!!!

Prawn biriyani

Biriyani is a delicious dish made by cooking fragrant basmati rice with poultry, fish, prawns, meat or vegetables adding yogurt, spices and lots of love. My simple version of prawn biriyani is so easy and takes minutes to prepare. Everyone always gets intimidated by biriyani, but seriously I find it the easiest dish and love impressing my guests with this luxurious dish.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

(a)

• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt

• 1 tbsp garlic paste

• 1 tbsp ginger paste

• 1 tsp green chilli paste

• 3 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 3 cloves whole

• 3 cardamom whole

• 3 cinnamon sticks

• 1/4 tsp cayenne

• 1/2 tsp cumin ground

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 15 saffron threads

(b)

• 3 potatoes cubed (1/4 inch)

• 1/4 cup sunflower

• 1 chopped onion

• 1 roma chopped

• 1 1/2 cups fried onions

• 1/2 tsp garam masala

(c)

• 1.5 Lb raw prawns deveined & shelled washed and dried.

Directions:

1. Divide mixture (a) into half and marinate prawns in the mixture and refrigerate covered for half an hour

2. In a dutch oven or deep roasting pan, add leftover mixture (a) and mixture (b) with potatoes and cook covered on medium high for 30 minutes or till potatoes are cooked through (checking often so mixture does not burn)

3. Stir in marinated prawns and cook according to size of prawns. (small -medium prawns 3-4 mins, large prawns 5-8 minutes, jumbo prawns 8-9 minutes or till they turn pink.

Enjoy on saffron basmati rice as pictured. (Recipe below)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups basmati rice

• 4 cups water

• 1 1/2 tsp salt

• 1 tbsp butter

• 3 tbsp sunflower oil

• 1 tsp cumin whole

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 2 tbsp garlic paste

• 14 saffron threads

• 1/2 cup fried onions

Directions:

1. Wash and rinse the basmati rice till the water is clear.

2. In a medium sized pot, add rice and 4 cups water and soak for about 10 minutes.

3. Add salt and boil rice till almost done (15 minutes). Remove rice into a colander and rinse out extra water. Add 1/4 cup fresh water and cover on minimum till fluffy.

4. In a wok or deep frying pan, heat 1/2 tbsp butter and 1 1/2 tbsp sunflower oil. Add 1/2 tsp cumin whole, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tbsp garlic paste, 1/4 cup fried onions and 7 saffron threads. Sautee for a minute and add half the cooked rice and stir fry all ingredients till rice is yellow in colur and all spices are mixed in . Remove rice onto serving platter and repeat process again with remaining ingredients.

Serve with a layer of biriyani sauce on top. Enjoy!

Pistachio and cranberry shortbread

Absolutely delicious and I can eat these all day long. Not too much sugar and a very nice texture. The best shortbread cookie I have ever had. I tried a few out and this one really is a hit with the family. Just made some for gifts over the weekend and kept eating as I wrapped them.

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup butter chilled, cut into cubes

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

• 1/4 cup pistachios

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Chop cranberries in half and in a food processor pulse pistachios till they are diced into crumbs. Set aside.

2. In a food processor or mixer, add flour, sugar and salt and mix the dry ingredients.

3. Add chilled butter and mix till mixture is crumbly. Then add vanilla extract.

4. Add the pistachios and cranberries and mix by hand.

5. Roll dough into a log by sprinkling a little flour. Wrap the dough in a cling wrap and chill for one-two hours.

6. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Cut the chilled cookie dough into 1/4 inch round circles.

7. Bake till golden brown (depends on your oven) around 25 minutes. Check at 15 minutes.

How to melt chocolate

Check out our chocolate melting guide on our shop in our chocolate section.

Some more tips:

• make sure to cut the chocolate into fairly small uniform pieces. Good quality Callebaut chocolate works well too.

• All microwaves are different so use your discretion and stop every 20 seconds and stir using a rubber spatula and scrape the sides. Chocolate should take about 2 minutes to melt.

• Stop heating the chocolate and remove it from the microwave once the chocolate is mostly liquid but there are a few solid pieces remaining. Continue stirring until completely melted.

• Use melted chocolate for chocolate glaze, to dip strawberries in, holiday shortbread and other cookies and donuts.

Mulled wine

Did you know mulled wine was originally created by the Romans in the 2nd century during the winter to keep themselves warm?⁠ Many also believed in drinking mulled wine for health and to avoid sickness. ⁠
⁠
Apart from spices like cinnamon⁠, nutmeg⁠, cloves, people would also add herbs and flowers to their mulled wine as natural sweeteners to make wines taste better.
⁠
It’s now enjoyed as a popular winter traditionally and is so easy to make, especially using our⁠ mulled spice mix.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 (750 ml) bottle of dry red wine or sweet apple cider

• 1 orange, sliced into rounds (also peeled, if you would like a less-bitter drink)

• Galloway’s mulled wine spice mix

• 2-4 tablespoons sugar, honey, or maple syrup to taste (or your desired sweetener)

• optional add-in: 1/4 cup brandy (or your favourite liqueur)

• optional garnishes: citrus slices (orange, lemon and/or lime), extra cinnamon sticks, extra star anise

Instructions

• Add wine or sweet apple cider ,orange slices, mulled wine mix, 2 tablespoons sweetener, and brandy (optional) to a large saucepan. Stir gently to combine

• Cook the mulled wine on medium-high heat until it almost starts to simmer. (Avoid letting it bubble — you don’t want to boil off the alcohol).

• Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours

• Using a fine mesh strainer, remove and discard the orange slices and spices. Give the mulled wine a taste, and stir in extra sweetener if needed

• Serve warm in heatproof mugs, topped with your favourite garnish

Stollen (with marzipan)

Stollen is thought to have originated in Germany in the 1400’s. Stollen is a fruit bread of nuts, spices and dried or candied fruit, coated with powdered sugar or icing sugar and often containing marzipan. It is a traditional German bread eaten during the holidays. Learn to make your own

This recipe is tried and tested ! I got this from the Cupcake Jemma and it is a fabulous recipe. I tweaked it a bit as I prefer orange juice over rum and brandy. But you can add the rum!

Ingredients:

• 150ml whole milk- warm to touch

• 1 pack of instant yeast

• 415 g all purpose flour

• 100g fine sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• 3/4 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp mace

• 1/2 tsp cardamom

• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

• 150 g soft unsalted butter

• 2 egg yolks

• 200 gr currants/raisins/sultanas (soaked in rum or brandy overnight) I used orange juice

• 100g (mixed peel) I used orange and lemon peel

• 50 g almonds

• 250 g marzipan

Directions:

1. Activate yeast ( add yeast to the milk and add the sugar) stir and leave in a warm place for about 10-15 minutes

2. Sift all purpose flour into the mixer(don’t start mixer yet), add sugar, soft butter, egg yolks and all spices, salt and finally the milk/yeast mixture. Start the mixer with regular paddle for about 1 minute and then switch a dough hook. Keep mixing till you see a dough ball ( about 10 minutes) you should be able to stretch it.

3. Proof the dough in a greased bowl and cover with saraan wrap and a tea towel ( in an oven -with a bowl of hot water) Leave for an hour till it rises to double the size.

4. Remove dough and roll it out into a circle. Add soaked fruit , raisins and slivered almonds. Knead the dough through. You can divide the dough in two and roll each again into a circle. Add a tube of marzipan and mold into a stollen bread shape. Cover again with saran wrap and proof the stollen again for another hour in the oven again. Dough should be ready once it springs back very slowly (about 45 mins to an hour) Remove any fruit that are poking out as they will burn.

5. Bake at 320 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes. Poke holes in the stollen with a skewer and drizzle unsalted butter all over making sure the stollen is well soaked. Sprinkle icing sugar all over till covered. Let cool for 15 minutes and its ready to eat. Enjoy!!

Gingerbread cookies

This recipe is amazing and I got it from Gimme some oven. Your home is guaranteed to smell amazing. This one has fresh orange zest and it really does the trick.

Vegan substitutes included.
Makes 40 cookies.

Ingredients

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon ground ginger

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (all from our baking spice dabba)

• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (use vegan butter here if vegan)

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (or maple syrup, agave syrup)

• 1 large egg (flax egg if vegan)

• 1/2 cup molasses

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• zest of one small orange(optional)

  Icing

• 2 cups Icing sugar

• 2–3 tablespoons milk (soy, oat or almond milk)

• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Whisk together your dry ingredients. Flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda,, cloves, salt and nutmeg.

2. Beat the dough. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and molasses, and beat on medium speed until combined. Then gradually add in the flour mixture, and beat on medium-low speed until just combined.

3. Chill the dough. Divide the dough into two equal portions and form each into a ball. then gently use your hands to flatten each ball into a 1 “ thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerator for an hour or so until the dough is pliable.

4. Roll and cut the dough. Unwrap one of the discs and place it on a lightly-floured surface. Use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough evenly until it is approximately 1.8 inch thick. Then use your favourite cookie cutters to cut your desired shapes, re rolling the dough as needed to cut more. Transfer the shapes to parchment covered baking sheet.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are crisp around the edges and on the top. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes., then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling

6. Decorate: Once the cookies cool to room temperature, feel free to decorate as desired with the icing.

Cream of mushroom soup

When your mushrooms are almost at the end of their life, don’t discard them. Make cream of mushroom soup. This delicious soup will warm you up during the cold fall evenings. The recipe is plant-based but can be made with dairy cream if you want or with chicken broth. I must say the plant-based version is spectacular!

Servings; 4

Total time 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 lbs Crimini mushrooms

• handful of Shitake or any other mushrooms on hand

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 3 tsp garlic paste

• 3/4 tsp thyme

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 1/2 cup cream (plant-based or non)

• 1/4 cup cream for garnish

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/4 cup chopped parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a medium sized saucepan and add finely chopped onions and saute till golden brown.

2. Add all the mushrooms and saute till liquid has evaporated. Add garlic paste, salt pepper, thyme and broth. Bring to boil then add cream

3. Blend all ingredients and place again in the pot to reheat

4. Ladle soup in bowls and garnish with a drizzle of cream and chopped parsley

5. Serve with toasted french bread

Blackbean Hummus

Instead of chickpeas, you can use black beans to make this amazing dip! You can make it spicy with chipotle chilli powder or ancho chilli powder and lime juice.Make your halloween spooky and delicious with this wholesome snack.

Serves 8

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked dry black turtle beans or canned black beans

• 2 tablespoons tahini

• 2 tablespoons iced water

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 garlic clove

• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped

• 1/2 tsp jalapeno powder

• 2 tablespoons yogurt for decorating webs on top.

• 5-6 piited kalamata olives for garnish

• 3 (6” pitas) and or assorted veggie sticks

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients in a food processor except for yogurt and pita chips

2. Cut each pita into 8 wedges and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake for 6 minutes turning once.

3. Place blended hummus in a bowl and decorate.

4. Serve with pita and or veggies.

Roasted pumpkin seeds

Don’t ditch the pumpkin seeds after carving!

Instead, use them to roast and spice or sweeten them however you want!
For a sweet or savoury recipe, try adding some of our spices and seasonings to your pumpkin seeds.

Remove and clean the seeds from your pumpkin. Dry the seeds. Add oil, salt and seasonings.

• In a bowl add 1 tbsp sunflower oil, coconut oil or avocado oil to

  1 cup of seeds. (Keep the ratio the same for more seeds) add your favourite seasonings making sure to coat each seed well with mixture.

• Place seeds on a baking sheet (use parchment paper for best results)

• Bake for 20-30 minutes at 300 degrees F or until pumpkin seeds are crisp and golden brown. Rotate pan if you see some seeds getting darker and make sure to stir 2-3 times during the baking time.

• Let cool and they will crisp up.

• Enjoy this treat with your loved ones on Halloween!

• Use the following Galloway’s Spices and seasonings or scroll down for some spooky recipes and make your own sweet or savoury pumpkin seeds.

• Cajun spice

• cayenne

• garlic powder

• curry powder

• pumpkin spice

• Himalayan salt

Cinnamon sugar:

For 1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds you will need:

• 2tsp olive oil

• 2tbsp brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• pinch of sea salt

Sweet & spicy:

For 1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds you will need

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/2 tsp cayenne or to taste

• 1/2 tsp black pepper or to taste

Pizza roasted pumpkin seeds:

For 1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds you will need

• 2 tsp olive oi

• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast

• 1 tsp dried basil

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1/2 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder