Baking & Sweets
Oatmeal & Date Cookies (Heart Healthy?)
These are what I call 'Heart Healthy Cookies' ... inspired by a recipe of the same name that my mother-in-law used to make. They are quite flexible and also often work for me as a light breakfast. No, I don't usually eat cookies for breakfast. But these have enough...
Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies With Hemp Seeds & Nutracleanse, Using Einkorn or Spelt Flour
This is a modificiation ... a delicious one, in my opinion ... of my Oatmeal & Date (Heart Healthy?) cookies. No, I don't usually eat cookies for breakfast. But these have enough good things in them that it isn't uncommon for me to have three of these (without...
Delicious Brownies Made With Chickpeas
A while back a friend introduced me to chocolate chip cookies made with chickpeas. They were so good I decided to try whipping up some brownies made with chickpeas. This recipe is the result! (Modified and improved in July 2021 from original 2015 version.) They are...
Nanaimo Bars
My mother-in-law's recipe for Nanaimo Bars. Easy to pull together and delicious. A Christmas favourite! Ingredients for Nanaimo Bars Nanaimo Bars Base - 1/2 cup (125 ml) butter 1/4 cup (60 ml) white sugar 5 Tbsp (75 ml) cocoa 1 egg 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla 1 3/4 cups (425...
Swedish Loop Cookies
I've had this recipe for Swedish Loop Cookies for years - and for the life of me can't remember where it came from. A good Christmas Cookie recipe that is super easy to make with lots of options. Very similar to a shortbread cookies, but not. Sprinkle or roll cookies...
Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
Easy, melt in your mouth Chocolate Shortbread Cookies. A twist on the usual shortbread for those who like chocolate - and they will LOVE these! Ingredients for Chocolate Shortbread Cookies 2 cups (500 ml) butter 1 cup (250 ml) sugar 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla 3 cups (750...
Mom’s Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe comes from my mom. She passed away in 2011 and this is still my favourite cookie recipe. It's been a few years since I've made them so making them tonight brought back fond memories. Mix the wet ingredients. The butter and sugar together well first. Then...
Date-Rhubarb Squares
A healthy snack or quick breakfast! A great way to use up rhubarb from your garden without adding any extra sugar. The dates add all the sweetening needed. Full of good stuff and very little added sugar! Easy to prepare and will last several days in the fridge. You...
Ginger Cookies
Ginger Cookies have only recently become a favorite of mine. Over Christmas, I tried one at Anita’s Organic in Chilliwack. They were so delicious and for weeks I’d been thinking of making Ginger Cookies … and finally did yesterday! After doing some Ginger Cookie...
Rhubarb Zucchini Muffins With Spelt & Wheat Germ
Healthy, light weight and delicious muffins made with sprouted spelt flour and wheat germ, plus lots of other good stuff. Here are the ingredients and steps for making. Dry Ingredients 1.5 cups (375 ml) sprouted spelt flour 1.5 cups (375 ml) old-fashioned rolled oats...
Homemade Apple Pie
I use Tenderflake for the pastry, using 25% wholewheat or Einkorn flour and 75% all-purpose flour. I find this adds a bit of goodness (whole wheat) to the pie while not impacting the flakiness of the crust. The Tenderflake recipe gives me 3 double (top and bottom)...
Caramel Popcorn
This recipe for Caramel Popcorn comes from my brother-in-law, Ken Smith. Ken has been making this Caramel Popcorn at Christmas for over 20 years. It's a huge hit and something my husband and I look forward to receiving every Christmas! Ingredients for Caramel Popcorn...
Butter Tarts
This delicious and simple recipe for Butter Tarts originated with my mother-in-law, Florence. A favourite at Christmas! You can make the Butter Tarts with nuts and raisins or make Butter Pecan Tarts, by adding more nuts and eliminating the raisins...
Carrot Cake with Butter Cream Cheese Icing
A moist and delicious Carrot Cake with Butter Cream Cheese Icing. Ingredients for Carrot Cake 3 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 1/4 cups (310 ml) olive oil 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla 3 cups (750 ml) grated carrots 2 cups (500 ml) flour (half white and half wholewheat, or 100% whole...
Brownies with Walnuts
This is super simple, delicious and relatively healthy (coconut oil, flax, oat bran, nuts). A great recipe for times when you crave something sweet and don’t have a lot of time to bake. Ingredients for Brownies with Walnuts 3/4 cup (185 ml) coconut oil or butter 2...
Rhubarb Coffee Cake
A delicious and easy to make Coffee Cake for those who enjoy rhubarb. Ingredients for Rhubarb Coffee Cake 1.5 cups (375 ml) flour (white, whole wheat) | Optional: replace 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) ground flax seed 2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder 1...
Lemon Cheesecake (Lime works too!)
This is a relatively simple lemon cheesecake recipe. It has a creamy, light and flavourful taste that is delicious! Unbelievably good. Truly!! INGREDIENTS - BASE CRUST - 1st LAYER 1 1/4 cups (310 ml) graham wafer or Oreo cookie crumbs 1/4 cup (60 ml) crushed pecans...
Chocolate Drizzled Taste of Cheesecake
This started out to be Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries with Chocolate Drizzle from BudgetSavvyDiva.com BUUUTTTTT most of the local (and delicious) strawberries I bought on the weekend were a bit too soft to work well with the recipe. Instead, I changed things up a bit...
Chocolate Macaroons
Thanks to Fran Beaver for asking about Chocolate Macaroons! These are SO simple to make ... maybe 15 minutes (at most) to put together and 15 minutes in the oven! Add more sugar if you like them really sweet. INGREDIENTS - 3 egg whites 1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar (or more...
Fruit Crisp
A favorite of mine! The first night it’s dessert, the rest of the week, because of the good stuff in it (oatmeal, fruit, nuts), it works for breakfast. TOPPING INGREDIENTS - 1 cup (250 ml) flour (spelt, regular, whole wheat or a combination) 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) quick...
Blueberry Plus Oat Scones
These scones are easy to prepare and delicious! You can make them with blueberries, strawberries, rhubarb, chocolate, whatever you like. For the rhubarb you may want to add a bit of extra sugar (I did with this recipe) to compensate for the tartness. INGREDIENTS - 3...
Grandpa’s Fudge
My Dad used to make Fudge at Christmas and to this day it remains one of my favourites at Christmas. It is simple to make and you can do it with or without a candy thermometer. The thermometer makes it a bit easier to tell when it is done. Ingredients for Fudge 4 cups...
Chocolate Trifle
A delicious and light tasting Chocolate Trifle dessert. Layer in a glass bowl for presentation. Use low fat products to cut down on calories, or not. Ingredients - 1 - 9" square pan of brownies or chocolate cake 2+ cups (500+ ml) chocolate pudding 2+ cups (500+ ml)...
Chocolate Biscotti
An easy to make, and very tasty Chocolate Biscotti. Not too sweet but sweet enough. The red of the craisins adds a little Christmas colour to these. A small plate of these make a nice gift for a friend, wrapped in cellophane and tied with a bit of ribbon....