Waking up early on a saturday morning to make these is worth every bite. Healthy, chocolate pancakes – which can be made with almond milk or soy – are much more satisfying than anything you pour out of a box.
1 cup flour
1 cup chocolate almond milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
pinch of salt
Top with sliced banana, blueberries, powdered sugar, and of course, maple syrup.
On a recent walk through the Cambie Village area I discovered a new(ish) local gem, the Lemonade Gluten Free Bakery. Open for about three months now, this boutique bakery entices you indoors with its urban chic charm and sweet heavenly aroma. Once inside, don’t eat everything at once. Delectables include sweet and savory breads and muffins, scones, cookies, bars and drool-worthy personal sized cakes (oh my!).
The ruby-red and golden-yellow fruit drew me in, the light flakey pastry sealed the deal. This Peach and Raspberry Crostata balanced the natural sweetness of the fruit with a pie crust close to perfection. Their website boats you can’t tell the pastry is gluten-free and I challenge anyone to taste a difference because I certainly couldn’t. If only all gluten-free treats tasted so sweet!
I’m a sucker for lemon desserts so I had to try the lemon bar. I wasn’t disappointed by this dessert with its shaved white chocolate curls atop a creamy lemon custard. It was a littler more tart than it was sweet but very enjoyable.
For Phil’s birthday I had to get him the Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse. The flavour combination has never been my favourite (gasp, I know) but for Phil it was perfect, and I have to admit it the rich flavours were well-balanced.
I’m so happy to have found this bakery. From their friendly staff who answer any dietary question to the affordable prices (for gluten-free products), Lemonade Gluten Free Bakery is a welcomed addition to the block. The walls of cookies, flours, loaves and buns will have me coming back until I’ve tried everything.
I came across this recipe accidentally during one of my many wasted well spent afternoons surfing the web. I got the idea from The Pastry Affair, a blog about all things pastry, and became inspired to recreate these edible nests. They are so cute!
The first time I made a dessert with chocolate and chow main noodles was in Grade 2 when our class made Chocolate Spiders to sell at the school talent show. They were an instant hit with parents and kids alike, I think more so with the kids because after getting your hands all chocolatey and marshmallowy, you got to eat them! As soon as I saw this recipe I was transported down memory lane and knew I had to make them.
The Easter Egg Nest recipe involves peanut butter. I’m not a big fan of the chocolate-peanut combo so I was considering omitting it, however my entire family loves chocolate and peanut butter so I thought this would be a lovely Easter treat for them. Low and behold I liked them as well, mainly because the peanut butter didn’t steal the show and created an equal balance with the chocolate. Thanks Pastry Affair for such a great Easter treat!
Easter Egg Nests
Makes 8-10 nests, about 3 inches in size
3 cups Chow Main Noodles
1 cup Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Smooth Peanut Butter
30 Cadbury Mini Eggs (or whatever you’d like to fill your nest with)
Directions
Put Chow Main noodles in a mixing bowl.
Lay out a baking sheet covered with wax paper.
In a small pot melt chocolate chips and peanut butter. Stir until smooth, then pour over the chow main noodles. Stir noodles until evenly coated, then arrange your nests on the wax paper, sculpting out a place for the “eggs” to rest.
Let your nests cool for 30-40 minutes in the refrigerator before serving, and store in an air tight container.
Mmmm brownies, thanks Phil! Betty Crocker plus frozen berries and chocolate chunks equals a very yummy Thursday night dessert! Even tastier when someone makes it for you!
What does it say about myself when for the second time in 24 hours I’ve found a melted chocolate in my pocket?
