Orange Apricot Date Nut Bread

It's time to start the Christmas baking! I think that is one of the things I like most about Christmas...sharing delicious loaves, cookies, bars and breads with the neighbours, our friends and our family. What better way to say, "I love you," than a steamy warm loaf of Orange Apricot Date Nut Bread!

Orange Apricot Date Nut Bread
(Inspired and adapted from the Ungourmet. View the original recipe here.)

(Prep Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes. Makes two 9x5x2 loaves)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (110 grams) coarsely chopped dried apricots
1 cup (175 grams) coarsely chopped dates
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon (2 grams) powdered ginger
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/3 cup triple Sec
1 cup (142 grams) all purpose flour
1 cup (130 grams) pastry flour
2 teaspoons (5 grams) baking powder
1/2 teapoon (1 gram) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon (2 grams) ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon (.5 grams) ground cloves
1/4 cup (57 grams) softened butter
1/2 cup (83 grams) lightly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
Preheat oven to 5oo degrees (you will reduce to 350 degrees upon placing loaves in oven.).

Lightly grease two regular sized (9x5x2) loaf pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper.

In a small bowl, combine the apricots, dates, ginger, orange zest and Triple Sec. Allow to sit for thirty minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed for about one minute, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the eggs, honey and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and orange juice alternately to the egg mixture and mix just until combined. Fold in the apricot date mixture and the pecans by hand.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan(s). Place in oven on middle rack and instantly reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake for 50-60 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for about ten minutes and then transfer to a wire rack for cooling.

Almond Butter Breakfast Bars

Almond Butter Breakfast Bars
(Yields 12 bars. Recipe inspired by and adapted from Anja's Food 4 Thought)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (128 grams) almond butter
2 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup (105 grams) brown sugar (optional...I add for kid appeal!)
1/2 cup (78 grams) whole almonds
1/4 cup (50 grams) dried apricots
1/4 cup (50 grams) dried cherries
1/4 cup (40 grams) raisins
1/8 pumpkin seeds
1/8 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup rolled oats

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease then line 9x9 tin with parchment paper.

In a small pot heat almond butter, brown sugar and mashed bananas. Stir gently until well combined and sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

In a food processor, coarse chop the almonds. Use a knife to coarse chop apricots, raisins and cherries.

Transfer to a bowl. Mix in seeds and oats. Fold in the almond butter mixture. Press the batter into prepared loaf tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool before cutting into bars/squares. Wrap individually in cellophane and store in fridge for up to 1 week.

A Birthday Pirate and His Mates...

Today we had Trevor's 4th birthday party celebration with all of his friends at one of those ball pit, slides and cargo net climbing places. Yes, Tylenol is needed but boy oh boy do the kids have fun.

Trevor wanted a pirate party! Arrr! So, we took the theme to heart, dressed like pirates, decorated in pirate fashion and yes, ate pirate cake and cupcakes.

The cupcakes and cake can be made with your favourite chocolate cake recipe and the icing can be a simple buttercream that you colour to your pirate bandana preference. I used my favourite vegan recipes as Trevor does better without egg and dairy so if you want the recipe, you can email me for it as it is from a favourite cookbook of mine. As for the eyes, eye patch and smiles... they are simply melted chocolate placed in a piping bag. Throw on a plastic eye patch and fake earring from the Dollar Store and you've got yourself one cute cake.

Next time you want to have a pirate themed party, go for the gold and make this easy pirate cake accompanied by pirate mate cupcakes. They really are easy to make and the kids absolutely love them. :-)

Power Bars with Dried Cherries and White Chocolate Chips

One of my favourite food blog sites is http://www.101cookbooks.com/ from Heidi Swanson. In the foodie world, she is known as one of the top three bloggers out there. 101Cookbooks is Heidi's recipe journal where she writes about the recipes that intersect her life, travels, and everyday interests. Often the recipes are from Heidi's personal cookbook collection and sometimes not - they might come from a friend, or she might write about a recipe that she created myself.

Heidi's main focus is primarily on natural, whole foods and ingredients - vegetarian recipes that are good for you and for the planet. But best of all, they are always delicious!

This recipe is an adapted bar recipe that Heidi put out a while ago. Her "Big Sur Power Bars" are a hit with kids and adults alike. I like them because they are a mixture of a rice crispie square combined with an oaty granola bar. Also, the recipe calls for rice syrup, not marshmellows, as a binder, which I pprefer. The kids like them because I added in some dried cherries and white chocolate chips!

I highly recommend these bars. They are definitely on of my favourites!

Power Bars with Dried Cherries and White Chocolate Chips
(recipe adapted from 101 Cookbooks. Prep time: 15 minutes/Total Time: 30 minutes. Makes 16-24 bars.)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon coconut oil (or regular butter)
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup slivered almonds
2/3 cup (unsweetened) shredded coconut
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups rice crispies
1 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup frozen white chocolate chips (frozen keeps them from melting when you mix the in!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking pan with the coconut oil. If you like thick power bars, opt for an 8 by 8-inch pan; for thinner bars, use a 9 by 13-inch pan.

On a rimmed baking sheet toast the pecans, almonds, and coconut for about 7 minutes, or until the coconut is deeply golden. Toss once or twice along the way. Mix the oats, toasted nuts, coconut, and the cereal, together in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine the rice syrup, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly as it comes to a boil and thickens just a bit, about 4 minutes. Pour the syrup over the oat mixture and stir until it is evenly incorporated.

Fold in dried cherries and frozen white chocolate chips. Spread into the prepared pan and cool to room temperature before cutting into whatever size bars you desire.