happy new year + go to breakfast

Happy new year! I haven't posted in a while, so this is my first post of 2014! 2013 was such an awesome year, so I'm hoping 2014 will bring excitement as well ;) I wanted to post about my daily go to breakfast recipes. The first is toast and spreads. This sounds simple but it could be boring or super delicious. Depending on your ingredients. I like to start with, normally, Silver Hills' Squirelly Bread. This is a sprouted whole grain bread, as long as you dress it up with spreads, it tastes supe good, and healthy. Here are my favourites. Trader Joe's Pumpkin Butter that I think is only available in Fall, but I'm not 100% sure. Also, Trader Joe's Fig Butter is sooooo good. I take it to school for lunch with crackers and smoked cheddar or havarti. MaraNantha's Roasted Almond Butter is probably my favourite right now. I got it at Costco in a plastic Mason Jar-looking container. MaraNantha's Nut Butters are all natural. The last one is a new discovery, The Earth Balance Organic Coconut Flavor Spread. Purchased from Save On Foods or Whole Foods. This is like a vegan butter. It tastes just like butter, but with a hint of natural coconut flavour. The one thing, it that it kind of has a really crumbly, dry texture like butter that had been melted then refrigerated again. But other than that, it melts nicely on a piece of toast or when heated, just like butter or stuff like that. And I absolutely love the flavour. The other breakfast idea is Greek yogurt and fruit. I pretty much only eat the KREMA brand Greek Yogurt. Vanilla is my all time favourite one, but I also love the coconut flavour. Then I top it with berries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or strawberries. Sometimes, if there is some in the house, I add granola. So, those are my breakfast recipes or ideas! Don't forget to always be CREATIVE in the kitchen!! 

'Tis the season!

Myles and I were having a cooking contest this morning. Main ingredient of the contest? Cranberries. Now, I'm sharing with you my winning recipe... I just came up with this recipe on the dot and it turned out super delicious!!! 

Cranberry-Balsamic Crumble

1 cup cranberries, halved

1/2 packet apple cider drink mix

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons agave nectar

3 tablespoons oats

3 tablespoons brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter, chilled and cubed

Combine oats, sugar and butter in a food processor or blender. Pulse until it makes a crumbly powder. Set aside. Combine water and apple cider powder in sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add cranberries, balsamic and agave. Cook down for 5 minutes, stirring every minute. Transfer evenly to ramekins cover with crumble mixture and broil for 1 1/2-3 minutes until golden. Enjoy warm. 

White Peppermint Hot Chocolate!

Today is the first holiday recipe of this year!!! Love this drink, I will show you 2 versions on how to make it, depending on what you have. 

White Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Version 1:

1 cup milk

5-7 candy cane flavored HERSHEY'S® Hugs chocolates

Whipped cream and crushed candy cane bits (optional)

Unwrap the chocolates. Melt and place in  a mug. Slowly add warmed milk while stirring. Garnish with whipped cream and candy cane bits. Enjoy!

Version 2:

1 cup milk

5-7 squares of your favourite white chocolate

A couple drops of peppermint extract (depending on how much peppermint you like) 

Whipped cream and crushed candy cane bits (optional) 

Melt white chocolate with peppermint extract and put in a cup. Slowly add warmed milk while stirring. Garnish with whipped cream and candy cane bits. Enjoy!

Nailah's Note

You can substitute milk or dark chocolate for the white in Version 2. You can omit the peppermint in Version 2 for just White Hot Chocolate. For both variations, you can use any milk, like almond or soy. 

currently snacking on…

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate (filled with) Speculoos Cookie Butter!!! From my last currently snacking on, you learned that I kind of LOVE Trader Joe's Cookie Butter. I saw that they had a chocolate bar filled with this stuff!!!! It is awesome. That gingerbread taste from the cookie butter mixed with the dark chocolate, yes please! I love this. 

currently snacking on…

So, my Mama recently went to Target and Trader Joe's!!! And got some delicious things!! At Target... There was some Gingerbread TWIX!!! I don't really know what those taste like because we aren't allowed to eat them 'till Christmas. But I DID try these amazing White Chocolate Peppermint M&M's!!! They are SO good! They taste just like my favourite drink from Starbucks, a white peppermint hot chocolate. And from Trader's we got this Speculoos Cookie & Cocoa Swirl. This is a toast spread that is TJ's cookie butter blended with like a nutella!!! It's really really good!

Crispy Roasted Broccoli and Onions.

Yum! I love this! I have always loved roasted broccoli... And... In case you didn't know, I actually did not win the grand prize (an iPad mini...) in the Global BC Contest. But, the experience was amazing. Thank you to my awesome chef mentor, Chef Ned Bell from YEW Seafood + Bar in Vancouver. He really helped me through me journey in becoming Global's Junior Chef. 

Crispy Roasted Broccoli + Onions

1 head green broccoli, cut into florets

1/2  red onion cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt + Pepper

Combine all ingredients on a baking pan. Bake at 400F for 30 min. Enjoy as a side dish or on pizza or mixed into pasta... 

Fresh Street Jr Chef Competition on Global BC

Catch me and my awesome mentor Chef Ned, this morning on Global BC between 7:45 and 9:00am. I'm so excited to be part of this competition!!

Yum! Vegan Banana Cornbread

I recently had a box of Trader Joe's Cornbread Mix in my pantry (I loooooove cornbread!) and we were getting ready to go to a picnic at Centennial Beach and I wanted to make a little snack. I was out of eggs! I looked online for egg substitutes. I found a perfect one! Bananas. Yum. Off your measurements on your cornbread mix are different then you can change the measurements. I did 1/2 a banana per egg. If your mix calls for more eggs just use 1/2 banana per egg.

Vegan Banana Cornbread

1 box of your favourite cornbread mix
3/4 cup oil (if your mix calls for more oil, add more)
1/2 cup any vegan milk (soy, almond, hemp, rice, coconut, etc.) ( if your mix calls for more milk, add more) (if you don't need it vegan, use whatever milk is in your fridge)
1/2 a banana (read paragraph at the top of the entry)

Add your banana, milk, and oil to a blender or food processor, blend until smooth. Add to a medium mixing bowl. And add cornbread mix, 1 3rd at a time. Stir in between adding. Grease a mini muffin tin then add batter. Bake in a 350F oven for about 20 minutes. Enjoy warm or at room temperature. If you have any recipe ideas, leave a comment down below! I love reading comments!!

Bon Appetite!
xoxo, Nailah

welcome summer…

Finally!! Summer is here!! This is one of my favourite recipes of fruit salad, we have made it a lot in our family in the past summers.

Feel free to add 1 or 2 more of your favourite fruits to make it to your liking or your families liking (I personally think that cantoloupe would be really good because I love the sweet flavour).

Nectarine-Mint Fruit Salad

2-3 nectarines (depending on size)
3 tablespoons-1/4 cup chopped mint (depending on your liking)
20 strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 baby watermelon or 1/2 regular sized watermelon, diced
1 generous bunch grapes, removed from stem and halved
1 mango (kind of hard but not too hard that it is sour),skinned and diced

Mix all ingredents together, chill. Enjoy! (it's THAT easy!)

currently snacking on…

Hi!!!! Finally a new blog post!! I'm super excited for this currently snacking on!!! Straight from Japan, let's enjoy Matcha Green Tea Kit Kat!!! I know, sounds super delish, I couldn't hold back when I heard that (so, I'm sorry if your mouth is watering right now or if I'm making you jelly 😉) !! Anyways, SUPER DELISH X100!! Ok. It's delicious. Sorry if you have been waiting for a blog post. But don't worry, I'll be off school soon and I will do more in the summer. Sorry again and I will talk to you later, bye!!!

Monday ***Asian-inspired Quinoa Salad

Today I made a quinoa salad with soy-sesame dressing and sautéed tofu and kale. I made a big batch so I could either have it as a snack or take it another day this week for lunch.

Asian-inspired Quinoa Salad

Dressing:

1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/4 cup canola oil
3 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons pickled ginger (like sushi ginger. It can easily be found in Japanese grocery markets or you can just use leftover ginger from eating sushi, like I did)

Quinoa:

2 cups quinoa
4 cups water
1 teaspoon garam masala (optional, I like the taste although it doesn't really match the Asian theme)
1/2 block firm tofu
4 ribs/leaves kale

Put the quinoa in a large saucepan over high heat. Stir until fragrant it will smell slightly nutty. Add salt and pepper. Add water and garam masala if using. Stir and bring to a boil lower the heat to low. Cover and leave for 15 min. While the quinoa is cooking make the dressing. Mix the 2 oils in a measuring cup. Set aside. In a small mixing bowl, whisk the soy and sugar until sugar has dissolved. Whisk in rice vinegar and add oils slowly in a stream. Mix in sesame seeds and finely chop ginger and mix. Keep in the refrigerator while you prepare the tofu sauté. Dice tofu in 1/2 inch cubes. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in medium sautépan. Add tofu until light golden brown. Rip the kale into bite sized pieces into the tofu. Let wilt. Add in to the quinoa if finished. If your quinoa isn't done, wait until the quinoa is done then add the kale and tofu. Turn off heat and add the dressing. Serve hot or cold as a salad.

Hi!!

It's been a really long time so I just wanted to say HI!!! I am joining a sports camp next week and we have to bringna lunch. So, next week I am going to post (everyday) what I took for lunch and the recipe for it. Stay tuned!

currently snacking on…

Aloha from Hawaii! Well...not exactly. Funny how my mom picked up these "Kona Coffee Shortbread Cookies" from Trader Joe's the day before my grandparents come home from Hawaii. What do they come home with? Kona coffee cookies from Honolulu Cookie Company. And, Mauna Loa Milk Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts! So, that's what l'm nibbling on, or currently snacking on, now. Oh yea, and, the flowers in my hair in one of the pics is from Hawaii, too. ;)

Caring and Baking…

On Wednesday, January 16, my class had a bake sale to raise money for Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticuit. As you may know, Sandy Hook is a school that has lost many teachers and students in a shooting tragedy. So my best friend Taylor, thought having a bake sale would be a nice way to raise money for the kids and teachers at Sandy Hook. They could put it towards something like a movie or an entertainer, or just something to lift their spirits. So on Jan. 16 everyone in the class brought some baking. Everything was one dollar. On the first day, we raised 500 dollars. On the second day, just me and my BFFS, Sophia, Taylor, Zara (see post "Feliz Cumplianos, Nailah!") sold all the left over baking. Then, a big suprise! A reporter from The Richmond Review, Martin Van Den Hemel, came! We were so excited! If you haven't seen the review, make sure to check it out! In the end, we raised $726.70!! We really hope this will help teachers and students through this tough tragedy. Incase your wondering, I made Blue Hawaii Coconut Cupcakes for the bake sale. I'll include that recipe in another blog post ;) So, don't forget to check out The Review this week! Or go to The Richmond Review website! http://www.richmondreview.com/community/187539751.html?mobile=true

Keys Me.

After watching this video http://you.tube/leW9nn8ZCAM (if this link doesn't work, then just search "keys me" in the YouTube search engine.) with 2 of my uncles we had an idea to create a menu for a silly restaurant inspired by this video. To get the idea of the menu and restaurant you kind of have to watch the video one or two times.

KEYS ME RESTAURANT

Strike Entebend - Mac and Cheese with impact. Asiago, Parmesan, Mozzarella and Gruyere splashed with truffle oil and topped with crispy panko.

Eggs V-enedict - Garlic sautéed mushrooms and our house made arugula pistachio pesto. Perfectly poached egg drizzled with a corn Hollandaise.

Fathers Melt - Earth Balanced focaccia presses ounces of garlic havarti and Monterey Jack.

Sylvie Mousse - Airy raspberry, crushed Macadamia and dusted cocoa. *Optional Es Barkley or Esnot Barkley

Spinny Stef - Kale, peashoots, roasted potatoes, pineapple, carrots, seaweed, sesame seeds and raspberry vinaigrette.

D Parflays - Delightful coconut frozen yogurt topped with strawberries, pineapple and watermelon swirled with more frozen yogurt and hazelnut granola.

Twin Vee - Funne Hungee with Tay, flower head and dachay.

Milky Twalay - Kaffir Lime and lemongrass cashew cream with tofu and vegetables.

Da flow can 3-how - Leftovers of organic waste compilation

Ok, l know we are a little crazy and weird, but this was fun.

Menu created by Nailah Crowe and Pierre Castro. Restaurant Creation by Nailah Crowe and Vince Festejo. Keys Me the song by Alissa Alano

Kale + Tofu = 2 of my fave foods!

A variation of kale chips made in to a meal!!

Sesame Tofu with Crispy Kale *vegan*

Tofu:

1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 block regular firm tofu, drained and cubed (I like sunrise or superior foods)
1 tsp canola oil

Kale:

1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 bunch of kale, washed and devained
1 pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Break the kale into bite sized pieces and put on the lined cookie sheet. Coat with oil, sprinkle with sesame seeds and salt. Bake for 10 minutes. While kale is baking, heat oil (canola and sesame) for tofu over medium heat. Add tofu and cook for 3 minutes. Add sesame seeds and cook for another 3 minutes. Keep warm on low heat, stirring occasionally until kale is done. When kale is done, take tofu off heat. Place kale in the bottom of your serving dish and top with tofu.

With a twist...

Yum! Make your favourite grilled cheese, but, add in thinly sliced peeled apples for an added sweetness and crunch. My favourites to add in are granny smith, ambrosia and pink lady. Enjoy!

delicious vegan dinner + my blog's anniversary!

*THIS POST GOT UPLOADED 2 DAYS LATE.

It's been a year! I started this blog on December 7 2011 and today it's been one year! So, here is a delicious {vegan} recipe I made last night to celebrate my blog! {I had almond milk on the side to complete the meal.}

Panko-Tofu Quinoa

Tofu:
1/2 package firm tofu
1 cup panko {Japanese breadcrumbs}
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil

Quinoa:
1 cup water
2 cups quinoa

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa then bring back to a boil. Cover and cook on med-low heat for 15 minutes. While the
quinoa is cooking, cut the tofu into cubes. Coat the tofu in the soy sauce and drain any extra soy sauce. Heat both oils in a small saucepan over med-high heat. Meanwhile, put the panko on the soy sauce-coated tofu {keep in mind that the panko won't stick intirely to the tofu.} Cook the tofu in the oil {the oil is hot enough when a pinch of panko sizzles in the oil.} 4 at a time. Be sure to cook both sides of tofu. Repeat with remaining tofu. When the quinoa is cooked, put into a serving bowl and top with tofu.

Since I have mentioned quinoa in a lot of my recipes, I'm going to give you the meaning of quinoa.

Quinoa: {KEEN-wa} Quinoa is a seed from Peru often used in vegetarian and vegan cooking. It is a substitute mostly for rice, pasta and couscous.

Comment and tell me if you made this. I'd love to hear it!! Thanks for one successful year of reading my blog!!

Bon Appetite!

xo,

Nailah

A milestone…

I'm sure most of you like poached eggs... Right? Well, today I went back to Chewies (look at the post "Chewies.") for brunch today and I had my first poached egg (also my first benedict) in a southern crab cake benny. It was SUPER good! When I was deciding what to have, my Mama told me, "You won't regret it Nailah, I know you don't really love eggs, but, it's a crab cake benny! You won't regret it." And, she was right! It was so good! And, I know, for me, to love food this much, I have NEVER had a poached egg, I am also a pescatarian and an egg being one of the like, ten proteins that are available, I don't really like them. Still, they aren't my favourite thing, but, now I know that I can have benedicts and poached eggs at brunch now. So, I guess I can call this a milestone (with many more to come.) of a successful chef, The Poached Egg Milestone.

Best Beets.

Any of you wonder how to cook beets? I always have. I just realized that they aren't that hard. Here is a recipe you could do with any kind of beet, I used golden beets.

Roasted Pesto Beets

4 beets
3 tablespoons basil pesto
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil, for greasing the pan
Cooked quinoa, for serving (optional)

In a large pan, cover the beets with one inch of water. Boil the beets with the water, once boiled, lower heat to med-low and cook for 30 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain out the water and cool until you can handle them. Once you can handle the beets, peel them and slice them in to 1/2 inch slices. Toss the beets with salt, pepper and pesto. Grease a baking pan with olive oil. Spread out the beets onto the greased baking pan. Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes. Serve on top of the cooked quinoa, if desired.