Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Oh my goodness. As I type this, I am sitting in a sweltering room, leaking sweat from the back of my chubby knees and wondering why the hell it hasn't rained in seven days. I know I moan and groan a lot during winter when it actually does rain, but it is really too bloody hot. Global warming, damn you.

When it's this hot out, I don't really enjoy being outside at all, so I usually just sit indoors and stare at the fan with a tall pitcher of iced tea and do nothing. But of course, my tummy gets all rumbly because I'm a greedy person, so I have to get up grudgingly and make some food.

Usually all I really crave in this weather is some lovely pinot grigio and prosciutto wrapped melon slices. But today I discovered I had some lovely wild king salmon fillets in the freezer and thought a Mediterranean style salad with some cooling cucumbers would make a lovely supper. The CSA also brought along some really beautiful heirloom cherry tomatoes that were just so cute and tasty (always seems wrong to put tasty and cute in the same sentence)!

This recipe is my take on the classic Mediterranean couscous salad, except that it uses quinoa and white wine vinegar. Quinoa is much better for you and works as a one dish meal in almost anything since it contains both carbs and protein. This recipe also makes about enough servings to last you through the week, so you can just be lazy and lie in a bath of ice cubes instead.

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Makes about 8 servings

1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions, cooled and fluffed *see note
2 medium English cucumbers, seeded and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1.5 pint cherry, grape or heirloom cherry tomatoes
10 large Italian basil leaves (or about 20 smaller ones), julienned
10 large mint leaves (or about 20 smaller ones), julienned

For the vinaigrette

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine quinoa, vegetables, mint and basil in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the vinaigrette and add in to the quinoa salad. Toss well to combine. Serve with salmon fillets or tuna kebabs or sprinkle feta cheese over and eat as is!

*Note: To make perfect quinoa for a salad so that it doesn't turn out too mushy, always wash your quinoa well, strain and use 1 1/4 cup water to 1 cup quinoa. Once your quinoa is cooked, allow it to steam, covered for an additional 5 minutes.

Rye Crackers & some website updates

My friends..., well, ok. That's not the best way to start, I stopped being John McCain about a week ago, but yes. Dear readers, there is news on Konosur! I've decided to change the web design into something more pretentious that will hopefully work out for the best. Please let me know if you find the design to your liking or if you prefer the former, sparse design.

In other news, you can now follow my mundane musings on Twitter. I've decided to jump on the social hipster bandwagon and do the Tweet (that's right, it's a dance where you put your left leg in the air and press the keys on your cellphone really fast). So far I've been twitting tweeting about my disastrous viewing of 'Australia' but I promise to provide more susbtantial 140-character ramblings in the future.


Here's a healthy recipe (sort of) for some rye crackers that would go absolutely fantastic with some goat cheese, a bottle of Cotes du Rhone and a living room discussion about the silliness of 140-character ramblings nobody really cares about.

Rye Crackers
Makes about 16 2x4 inch crackers

1 cup unbleached rye flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp caraway seeds OR toasted sesame seeds(optional)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup and 1 tbsp cold water
Flaky sea salt like Maldon (I used an Australian Pink Flake Sea Salt)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, salt and caraway or sesame seeds. Make a well in the center and add in the olive oil. Using a wooden spoon, swirl the flour towards the center into the olive oil to combine. Drizzle cold water slowly into the mixture, stirring until a ball of dough forms. The dough will be crumbly but still holding together.

Divide the dough mixture into two. For each half, roll out into a rough square about 1/8 inch thick. Try to roll it out as thin as you can, dusting lightly with whole wheat flour to prevent sticking. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Place the rolled-out dough onto the prepared baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cut into rectangular crackers with a pizza cutter. Repeat for the remaining dough.

Cool the crackers completely and store in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
Note: The crackers are soft and crumbly, to make it harder, bake for a little longer at 325°F.

Gastronomic Salad with Homemade Garlic Croutons

I don't know about you, but there are some days I just feel "icky". Sort of in the way when you've waddled out of a fast food joint and you smell sickeningly like grease. Or when you've been too greedy at a diner buffet. Or when you've been eating nothing but Twinkies and potato chips for three days. That sort of icky.


So when you're feeling icky, there's nothing better than to keep things light with lots of vegetables and fruits. I like to combine both in a salad with a light dressing - nothing creamy or thick, just a garlicky dressing with olive oil and wine. To make it more satisfying for dinner, I usually add my own homemade croutons (less oil/butter than store bought ones) and some form of meat.

La Panzanella (it's a Seattle institution and the bread and crackers are beyond superb) at the Farmers' Market had a really splendid loaf of focaccia today and I thought it would be good to make some garlic croutons and toss it with one of my favourite Konosur concoctions. The recipe combines spring greens (butterhead lettuce and a herb salad mix), prosciutto and blood oranges to make it a seasonal salad that help rids the "ickyness" of having eaten badly for the past week. It makes a satisfying dinner and is complemented well with a glass of 2007 Sauvignon Blanc from California (Try 2007 Vintage Bogle for a good, cheap Sauvignon Blanc under $10).

Gastronomic Salad with Homemade Garlic Croutons
Serves 4

1/2 loaf foccacia bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp white wine
2 cups butterhead lettuce, torn
1 cup herb salad mix (combination of arugula, dill, tarragon, parsley and endive)
1 large blood orange, peel removed and sliced
3 slices prosciutto, sliced into strips
2 tsp fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
1/4 cup sweetened, dried cranberries
2 tbsp roughly chopped pistachios

Preheat oven to 325°F.

To make croutons, combine cubed bread, two tablespoons olive oil, rosemary and 3/4 of the minced garlic in a large bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper. Toss well to mix all the ingredients together. Spread out on a baking sheet lined with foil. Toast in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, stir with a spatula and toast for another 10 minutes until croutons are crunchy and golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil, remaining mince garlic, orange juice, white wine and dash of pepper in a small bowl. Whisk and set aside.

Assemble the salad: On a large platter, arrange the salad leaves, sliced orange and sliced prosciutto. Scatter the cranberries and pistachios over the top. Drizzle with the dressing. Toss everything together and serve with croutons on top.

Homemade Low-fat Tropical Fruit Granola

There's something always satisfying about waking up in the mornings and knowing that breakfast is there waiting for you. I think that's the reason we all resort to boxed cereal. My usual quick breakfast usually consists of a bowl of homemade granola with skim milk, half a banana and two tablespoons of yogurt. And of course the default mega-size cup of black coffee.

Part of my early diet strategy from a few years ago involved store-bought granola, which if you're not careful in choosing, can contain tons of saturated fat and sugar. The reason why factory-made toasted oats taste so good is because it's slathered with lots and lots of honey, maple syrup and sugar! Add that with plump, juicy, sugar-cured fruits and you've got a candy factory masquerading as health food. Some companies substitute the maple syrup/honey with manufactured sweeteners in order to lower the calories, something which I think takes away from the wonderful flavor of real granola.

The truth is that granola isn't the best kind of breakfast food for you. You'd be better off with cooked oats, a dash of cinnamon, a teaspoon of honey and some sugar free dried fruit. But in moderation, granola can be a nice crunchy topping to some yogurt or cottage cheese, which will be high enough in protein and should keep you feeling jaunty for the rest of the morning.

The secret to good granola is to toast the oats over low heat in the oven until they turn a beautiful brown color. I use applesauce to substitute the oil and to sweeten the granola. Then I toss the toasted oats with some unsulphured dried fruit mix - you can use unsweetened fruit, but because I use less sugar/sweetener than most recipes call for, I think it's perfectly fine to use sweetened fruit.

Homemade Low-Fat Tropical Granola
Makes 12 servings of 1/4 cup

Granola Mix
3 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
3 tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 cup chopped pecans (you can also use almonds or walnuts)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil (I used Smart Balance 3-oil blend)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt

Dried Tropical Fruit Mix
1/2 cup unsulphured Tropical Fruit Mix: Pineapple, Mango Papaya, Banana chips (I buy them from the bulk aisle at Whole Foods or they are also available at Trader Joe's)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup low sugar dried cranberries (I use Eden Organics)

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the granola using two large spoons. To create clusters, use your hands to squeeze the mixture together.

Spread the granola mix onto the prepared sheet pan in one layer. Toast in the oven at 325°F for 25 minutes until the granola is crisp and brown. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan.

Mix in the dried tropical fruits. Store in airtight jars for up to two weeks.

A Healthy Take on Ina Garten: Chunky Banana Bran Muffins

So ok. You should really know my workout schedule by now. I try to time my gym sessions with Giada and Ina and Chris Matthews to offset the boredom that is the elliptical or the pain that is the treadmill. For the uninitiated, that's the Food Network cooks: Giada de Laurentiis (tiny Italian, platform wearing, big-breasted hottie) and Ina Garten (big lady with a big gorgeous house) and Chris Matthews of MSNBC's Hardball (grouchy old bloke with a penchant for political sarcasm).

I like Giada mostly because she cooks easy and gorgeous food, doesn't have an annoying grin and because I lust after her pepper mill. I always come away from watching Giada's show with some recipe I keep in mind to make.

Now, the Barefoot Contessa on the other hand. I don't know. I'm quite torn. On one hand, I think she makes really elegant stuff, knows what she's talking about and isn't quite so pretentious like say... oh I don't know, Emeril Lagasse? She definitely isn't as annoying as Daisy Martinez or god forbid, Rachael Ray. On the hand, I find the Ina Garten's recipes so terribly unhealthy, I don't think it should be aired on national telly where half the population are already overweight. She can make even bran muffins unhealthy! It's quite astounding really, how she puts tons of buttermilk AND tons of butter to make bran muffins - something we all associate with being healthy. I don't know, sometimes I come off watching her show feeling a little cheated. Can you really NOT have good food without adding vats of oil and animal fat? The show today was something about breakfasts, I don't get how after having one of those insanely bad bran muffins, you can even think about eating bacon and potato omelettes! The Carbs! The Fat! Aaaahhhh... no wonder we're a nation of pure, unhealthy fatties.

So here's MY take on what a good banana bran muffin should be, one that won't leave you paunchy and sluggish from fat overkill and will still meet your fiber needs. You can have two of them with coffee for breakfast and will still be able to manage your calorie intake even if you are on a dismal, anorexic diet of 1200 calories a day! Serve with a teaspoon of raspberry jam, and you're still in the dismal, anorexic range.


Chunky Bran Muffin
Makes about 9 muffins, 135 calories each

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unprocessed wheat bran
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp grounded flax seed
1 egg
1 large banana, sliced
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup soy milk or low fat milk
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a muffin tin with 9 paper liners.

Whisk egg in a medium bowl. Add in soy milk, applesauce, orange zest and vanilla extract.

Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the egg mixture. Mix until just combined. Add in nuts, banana, honey and raisins. Give it one or two stirs to combine.

Spoon into lined muffin tray until 3/4 full. Bake at 400°F for 15 - 20 minutes until a thin knife inserted in the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Cool on wire racks. If serving the next day, warm in an oven at 325°F for about 5 minutes.

Chocolate Fix: Eggless Banana Bars

Now, don't get me wrong. I have absolutely nothing against vegans or the whole vegan agenda, I just like me some meat, lots and lots of cheese and more meat. Heck, my favourite meal is roast chicken with tons of beer! I also like calling vegan baking "eggless" instead of vegan - that's how much in denial I am about the positive side of veganism.

These "eggless" banana-walnut-chocolate chip bars are the best things I've had in a while, they actually taste like soft, moist banana brownies but without all the seemingly evilness of regular brownies. The recipe comes from a website called Cookie Madness (yikes!) and they have a TON of vegan baking recipes on there. These bars are really easy to make and would serve as energy bars or a healthy dessert with some vanilla ice-cream.

Eggless Banana Bars
Yields about 15 bars (2x3 inch bars)

2 large, ripe bananas (mashed)
2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon ground flax
3 tablespoon hot water
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line a 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil and set aside.

Pulse the old-fashioned oats in a food processor until they look coarsely ground.

Mix the ground flax and hot water together and stir until a paste forms, this will be your binder. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, ground oats, sugar, salt, cinnamon and baking soda together.

In a separate medium bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, applesauce, ground flax mixture, melted butter and vanilla.

Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in banana mixture. Using a wooden spoon or a hard spatula, mix everything together until well combined. The mixture will be quite dry, make sure you mash the bananas well.

Add in the chocolate chunks and walnuts and stir to combine.

Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

Cut into 15 bars.

Chana Dhal (Indian Lentils)

News alert: Dogs aren't really that cute. Especially if they're rascally dachshunds that have learned to jump up on your garbage bin and crawl across the counter to munch on half a pack of raw chorizo. They are NOT cute that way.

Indian food is one of the three staple cuisines I grew up with in Malaysia. Weekends were usually spend watching live football (to be incorrectly termed: Soccer) broadcasts at 3am whilst chomping on a traditional roadside Indian dish of dhal and 'roti'. That was of course, complemented by mugs and mugs of milky tea that were guaranteed to give you a tummy-ache hours later.


For some reason, the change of season has brought back rather strong urges for both football and dhal with 'roti'. I recently found out that the Seattle Sounders FC have signed on my once-upon-a-time favourite Arsenal player Freddie Ljungberg as the distinguished player for the club. So I figure I'll get an early headstart on the food part of the soccer night outs.

Dhal is usually made with ghee, a kind of shortening. I used vegetable buillion cubes and a small amount of vegetable oil instead to make this a healthy dish that you can serve with some store bought naan and a cup of milky chai. It works wonderful on a cold day, and lends a subtle spicyness to offset the chill factor.

Chana Dhal (Indian Lentils)
Serves 4

1 1/2 cups yellow split peas
3 cups water
2 big green chilis (Serrano or Hot Cherry works fine)
1 large tomato, cubed
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
4 slices fresh ginger
2 tsp Garam Masala
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp black mustard seed
1/2 cube vegetable buillion
Pinch of Red pepper flakes
Handful fresh parsley leaves
Salt to taste

Note: If your lentils are still tough, and you would like it to be softer - add in 1 heap teaspoon of baking powder. Likewise, you can use an immersion blender to pulse the lentils.

Soak the lentils in 4 cups of water for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

In a big pot, bring the lentils, water and a teaspoon of salt to a boil. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, uncover and stir in the Garam Masala and curry powder. Let the pot remain simmering, uncovered.

In a separate frying pan, heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil and fry the garlic, onions, ginger, tomatoes, chili and black mustard seeds until fragrant, about 7 minutes.

Stir in the fried tomato mixture, red pepper flakes and vegetable buillion cube into the lentils and let it simmer for another 5 minutes until the lentils are thick. Remove the sliced ginger. Season with salt to taste. Serve garnish with parsley leaves.

Ready in 3-minutes: Almost Healthy Apple Raisin Coleslaw

For the past two days I've been going on a beer tasting rampage. I want to draw attention again to the brilliant Pike Street Beer and Spirits shop down on Pike and Harvard in Capitol Hill. They had a Pumpkin Ale tasting session yesterday and I got to try some of Delaware's finest (Say it ain't so, Joe! Doggone it!), Dogfish Head Punkin Ale which was reminiscent of a whole huge amount of pumpkin spice cake dunked in some hoppy mixture. Of course, our favourite is Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale from San Francisco, but the Punkin Ale is definitely one worth trying if you're looking for an interesting albeit weird Seasonal brew.

We also tried a couple of seasonal brews at the Elysian which is a local Seattle brewpub, admittedly Brian's favourite brewpub (mine is Big Time in the U-District). I had a pint of the Awakener Amber Hef yesterday and some White Woods Wit (Germain weissbeir). Both were light wheat beers that reminded me of summer, I'm still in denial about it being Fall so quickly, I'm not ready for any stout, porters or IPAs yet.


After that crazy amount of beer, I felt the not-so-secret need to eat only light, easily digestible food. I love coleslaw because cabbage helps to get rid of water retention and makes me feel less bloaty. Celery seeds also help dispel tummy discomfort and oh well, it just seems healthy to be wolfing down greens and fruits instead of chomping on a gigantic hunk of cow. This recipe which is proudly something I serve at almost every barbecue, uses low-fat yogurt and an eensy bit of light mayo to create a healthy yet creamy texture.

Almost Healthy Apple Raisin Coleslaw
Makes 6 servings
1/2 pack coleslaw mix (no dressing)
1 large gala apple, cored and cubed, skin on
1 cup Thomson raisins
1 tbsp celery seed
2 tbsp poppy seed
2 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup low fat yogurt
2 tbsp sherry or dry vermouth
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp olive oil
Dash of pepper

Wash the slaw mix in ice water. Drain and dry well.

Core and cut the apple into 1/2 inch cubes. Mix all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Drizzle over the slaw mix and toss to combine. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving to allow flavours to meld. If the slaw is a little too wet after refrigeration, add in an extra 1/2 cup of slaw mix.

Dairy-free Chewy Oatmeal Raisin and Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I usually, on most days, try to steer clear of cookies. I recently bought a pack of coconut macaroons to use in a pineapple tart recipe, and found myself munching away on almost half the packet - two cookies = 170 cals, which is just really disasterous if you're on a diet or if you're trying hard (like me) not to look like an inverted mushroom.

Having the macaroons reminded me of how much I really like cookies, and why most cookies are really bad for you. A compromise had to be reached - I would make a cookie that could serve as a meal and to offset the cookie urge.

This oatmeal raisin cookie recipe uses no butter or eggs, and relies solely on applesauce and canola oil to keep it moist and chewy. I added chocolate chunks to give off a sense of "decadence" but really, I think these cookies are almost as good as an energy boost as Clif or Luna bars. I'm not a huge fan of vegan baking, but every once in a while, these things really are yumtastic and healthy! Unfortunately, because the cookies are vegan, they won't keep as well, so it's best eaten on the day you bake them and no more than two days later.

Dairy-free Chewy Oatmeal Raisin and Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Makes 10 jumbo sized cookies

2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup Thomson raisins
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks (dark chocolate bar broken into pieces)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, cutting through with a spatula until the dough is moist.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and ladle 1/4 cup of batter on to parchment sheet. Press down to about 1/2 inch thick, and 5 inches in diameter. Bake cookies for about 20 mins until the edges are browned but the center is still soft. Cool on cookie sheet for about 10 mins before transferring to wire racks to cool thoroughly for about 30mins.

Note: If you make smaller cookies, 10mins in the oven will do

Banana, Oat and Raisin Wholewheat Muffins

And once again it's the weekend, which means a heart-healthy (or is that health-hearty?) breakfast. I decided this morning that I wasn't going to be terribly liberal with the pounds, fat and dairy, so I made some rather filling banana muffins (oof!) that will last me through the latter part of morning, and hopefully straight through lunch.

I'm still wondering if I should head down the Seattle Center and catch Bumbershoot, where at least two of my favourite bands are playing today AND they have a show called "Apocalypse in Coney Island: A Bumberlesque Cabaret" (how can one miss that?!). While I ponder, have a heart-healthy, health-hearty muffin recipe.

And in case you haven't noticed, I'm trying to improve on my food photography, because I apparently suck at it; my food looks like it's been thrown together for a bunch of hyenas (bad food composition, wtf), and I suffer from Parkinson's disease (blurry shots, unsteady hands etc). So if you have any suggestions, like: STOP COOKING! or STOP SPAMMING FOODGAWKER! or YOU BLOODY NEED A TRIPOD!, let me know.

Banana, Oat and Raisin Wholewheat Muffins
Makes 4 large muffins

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp milled flaxseed
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 banana, pureed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup raisins
1 tbsp rolled oats for sprinkling
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl with a fork. Set the oven at 425°F. Puree 1 banana in a food processor.

In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg until fluffy. Add in the oil, milk, banana puree and vanilla extract. Mix well.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and gently pour the egg mixture into the well. Using a spatula, fold the ingredients together. Do NOT use a mixer. After folding the batter about 7 times, add in the raisins and nuts. Fold again for another 13 times to make up 20 times that you stir the batter.

Line a regular muffin tin with paper cups. Spoon the batter into each cup until it is almost full, leaving only about 1/8 of an inch from the batter to the top of the muffin paper. This will give the muffin the domed shape. Scatter the remaining rolled oats on the top. If you're using a 6-muffin tin, and making only 4 muffins, fill the empty cups with water.

Bake the muffins at 425°F for 7 minutes. Turn the heat down to 395° for another 20 - 25 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.

Oat and Flax Whole-Wheat Pandering Pancakes

Well, good morning and indeed since I woke up to the news of Sarah Palin being chosen as the GOP VP nominee. I smell a serious scent of McPandering. I wonder what Hillary thinks, and if she'll now go all the way out to remind her Sisters of Traveling Pantsuits-hood that Republicans think women are stupid enough to fall for that ploy. And I wonder if Mitt Romney is secretly seething so hard, the chemicals in his gelled-back hair have combust.

But anyway. Have some pandering pancakes, because we all know that a good show starts off with a hearty breakfast... and of course, I'm just pandering to people's want for IHop goodness.


Update: Check out the awesome pancake photo of Sarah Palin by Dan Lacey.


Oat and Flax Whole-Wheat Pandering Pancakes
Makes 6 pancakes

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp milled flaxseed
1/2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg

Soak oats in milk for 5 minutes. In a larger bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and fluff with a fork.

Beat the egg and pour it into the oats and milk mixture. Add to dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until combined. Your mix should be wet but not runny. If it's too dry and sticky, add a bit more milk.

Heat a little butter in a large skillet or griddle and spoon about 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan, cook for about 2 minutes on each side on medium heat.

Berry Sauce
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp sugar

Simmer all ingredients in a saucepan until mixture becomes thick, about 10 - 15 minutes.

Superfood Cranberry and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Most mornings I wake up and barely have time to sit down for breakfast; mostly because when the alarm goes off at 7, I snooze-smack it three times so that when I finally kick the covers off and roll out of bed sullenly, I have only 20 minutes left to get ready. That usually means breakfast and coffee on the go. On-the-go breakfasts can be terrible for you (and terrible for taste); I hate poptarts so I usually just resort to a banana and some buttered toast.

Recently though, I've taken to trying to find something that I can grab in the mornings very quickly, that will be good for me and that will taste pleasant with a cup of my favourite hazelnut coffee.

Therefore, behold the perfect cranberry and chocolate chip muffin, a superfood that will fight cancer and promote weight loss - I kid you not. Cranberries have antioxidant properties that help prevent cancer (and apparently cholesterol) while flaxseed has Omega-3 that may help promote weight loss. Almonds contain a high level of protein and also has that cholesterol busting property. A recipe made with no butter helps keep you trim and lean. And yes, I should start working for Weight Watchers ... but does that mean I have to stop using eggs altogether?

Perfect Cranberry and Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp milled flaxseed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup skim milk or soy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl with a fork. Set the oven at 425°F.

In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg until fluffy. Add in the oil, milk and vanilla extract. Mix well.

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and gently pour the egg mixture into the well. Using a spatula, fold the ingredients together. Do NOT use a mixer. After folding the batter about 7 times, add in the cranberries, chocolate chip and almonds. Fold again for another 13 times to make up 20 times that you stir the batter.

Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Spoon the batter into each cup until it is almost full, leaving only about 1/8 of an inch from the batter to the top of the muffin paper. This will give the muffin the domed shape.

Bake the muffins at 425°F for 7 minutes. Turn the heat down to 395° for another 20 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.

The muffins should keep for about 3 or 4 days if you cling wrap and refrigerate them. To serve, sprinkle some water and microwave for about 10 seconds. Serve with butter and marmalade or jam.

Healthy Blueberry Muffins

Blueberries are now in season, about 2lbs of those juicy navy babies are about $8 on discount. We've had a box sitting in the refrigerator for over a week, and were just about to turn all squishy. I love muffins and used to have at least one every other day. Then I found out one of those crunchy-top suckers had like 500 or 600 calories because they were filled with butter and oil. I decided to perfect the art of healthy muffins to satisfy my muffin-lust. And also, my friend Joey was in town from Australia, what other way to be hospitable than to serve up a batch of warm blueberry muffins with chai latte for breakfast? These muffins are perhaps healthier than most because it contains a good dose of milled flax-seed for Omega-3 and uses a minimal amount of sugar and oil. Serve warm with a little bit of marmalade and butter for breakfast. For tea, you can serve it with some fresh strawberries and clotted cream while for dessert, you can serve warm with ice-cream and some whipped cream.


Healthy Blueberry Muffins
(Makes 12, 200 cals per serving)
Prep time = 15 mins
Cook time = 30 mins

Dry ingredients
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp milled flax-seed
1/4 cup brown sugar
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients
1 cup soymilk
1 tbsp lemon peel
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 large egg
1/4 cup honey
1.5 cups fresh blueberries (you can also use thawed frozen blueberries)

For the streusel topping (optional)
2 tbsp slivered almonds
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
1.5 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup uncooked regular oats

1. Pulse almonds 2 or 3 times in a blender or food processor until chopped. Add brown sugar and 1 tablespoon flour; process 5 seconds. Add butter; pulse 5 or 6 times or until mixture is crumbly. Stir in oats; set aside.

1. Combine and dry ingredients in a large bowl then create a well in the center.
2. Whisk together soymilk, lemon juice, oil, applesauce and egg; add to well in the flour mixture, stir and combine and just moistened. The trick is to stir about 20 times, do NOT overstir.
3. Wash, drain and toss blueberries with 1.5 tablespoons flour and 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar in a colander. Fold in to flour mix, stirring to coat.
4. Spoon batter into muffin pans lined with paper cups till about 3/4 full.

To make streusel topping:
5. Pulse all streusel ingredients in a food processor until crumbly.
6. Sprinkle top of muffin batter generously with the topping, about 1/2 tablespoon for each muffin.

7. Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown, the muffins are done when you insert a skewer in the middle, and no crumbs stick on the skewers when you remove it.
8. Remove immediately from pans, and cool on wire racks.