Cranberry and Brie Melt

Lately I've been craving dishes with cranberry accents to them. I think it all started back in October when I visited a restaurant in Guelph called Atmosphere. I had their spinach and goat cheese pizza (on a gluten-free crust) which actually featured cranberries as one of the toppings. It was so good that as soon as I have a chance to visit Guelph again, that's my first stop.

Cranberries are a staple fruit for the winter months because somehow it makes its way into any dish and still tastes amazing; in salads, main courses, and deserts, cranberries are everywhere!

Today I made my own twist to the melted brie and honey dish, just to satisfy my cranberry and Canadian cravings.

What you'll need are:

-slivered almonds (used for texture)

-dried cranberries (to taste)

-brie cheese (for this recipe I used PC mini brie rolls)

-1 teaspoon of maple syrup (for the portion of my mini brie roll)

To prepare this snack, you need to place the brie in a microwave safe bowl. Then drizzle the maple syrup on top of it and add the dried cranberries. Depending on how powerful your microwave is, you may need to add some more time to the process but I kept it in the microwave for 15 seconds. The cheese should be at the stage where it is about to start melting. Once you remove the bowl from the microwave, top the melted brie off with a few pinches of slivered almonds. Now you can eat this as a dip for crackers or bread.

Instead of using mini brie rolls, use a regular sized brie roll as an appetizer for parties. Adjust the maple syrup portion to about 3 tablespoons. 

Enjoy!

Urban eats: Gourmet Gringos

It's finally here!

My favourite food truck, Gourmet Gringos, has opened their restaurant and it's relatively in my hood!
I've got love for food trucks but the one down side to them is that they're always in different places.

These guys just opened their location yesterday at 1384 Bathurst Street, just south of St.Clair West.

Apart from serving up my favourite veggie burrito, they sell quesadillas, tacos, empanadas, and many other delicious latin foods.

Check them out, your tummies will thank me later.

Can't Bake? No Problem.

Since the city is under a severe thunderstorm warning, my sister and I decided to FAFL out and 'bake'. 
Just one thing though, you don't actually have to bake what we're making!
May I present to you the smart and efficient No Bake Energy Bites.

This recipe was perfect for the stormy weather that the GTA faced today. Record downpour created flash floods that stalled the city with blackouts. Although my area was unaffected by the power outages, I'm keeping this in my back pocket for future reference.

These balls are easy to make by only mixing all the ingredients into a bowl, chilling for 30 minutes in the fridge then rolling them into small ball shapes. 

Apart from being a quick and easy blackout day snack, they're packed with ingredients that boost your energy.

So I'm set for my work weeks snack.

What you'll need:

-1 cup of oatmeal
-2/3 cup of coconut flakes
-1/2 cup of peanut 
-1/2 cup of wheat germ
-1/2 cup of chocolate chips (optional or can be subbed for raisins)
-1/3 cup of honey or agave syrup
-1 tbsp of chia or sesame seeds
-1 tbsp of vanilla extract

Makes about 20-25 bites.