Yummy Matters

Yields ~4 servings

Ingredients

Meringue

Egg Whites from 4 Large Eggs

1 cup sugar

Filling

Fruit- I used 1 punnet of strawberries, and 1/2 punnet of blueberries

1 tbsp sugar

Custard (optional)

4 egg yolks

1 cup milk (I used unsweetened original almond milk)

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp corn starch

Instructions

Meringue

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 210°F

In a clean (emphasis on clean- grease will kill a meringue) mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites using an electric hand mixer, until stiff peaks form

Fold in the sugar 

Using a piping bag, pipe the shape of the pavlova you wish to create on the cookie sheet (I chose a heart) then go around the edge of the shape to create a hole in the middle (this is where the fruit will go

Bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours

Filling

While your meringue is cooling, cut the strawberries into even sized pieces (I used all but 3, then sliced the three raw berries to place on top with the blueberries as garnish)

Put the strawberries and blueberries (or whatever berries you have chosen) into a saucepan to soften and add the sugar

Once the berries are softened, strain them and leave them to cool for about 10 minutes, then add them to the meringue

Custard

Whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla extract, corn starch and sugar in a bowl

Put the milk into a small saucepan and heat until warm- not hot!

Take off of the heat, and add your egg yolk mix, whisking continuously

Place the mix back on the heat, still whisking continuously, until boiling

Remove from the heat, and continue whisking until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (test this by putting the spoon in, and if you are able to wipe a clean line down the back with a finger, it is done)

Yields: ~20 cookies

Ingredients

2 Large Eggs

2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil

3/4 Cup Caster Sugar, plus extra for rolling

1 tsp Hazelnut Extract

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder

2 Cups Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F and line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper

Whisk together Eggs, Oil, Sugar, Vanilla Extract, and Hazelnut Extract in a medium mixing bowl

Mix together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl

Using a rubber spatula, ass the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Take a small plate, and pour a small amount of sugar onto it

Take 1 tbsp of the cookie dough and roll it into a ball, then roll the ball into the caster sugar

Place the ball onto the baking sheet then squish it flat with your hand or the back of a large spoon

Repeat this with the rest of the mixture (Note:These cookies don’t spread out, so you don’t have to leave more than like 1/2″ between them)

Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes

Yields: 4 medium garlic naan bread

Ingredients

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 tbsp oregano or Italian seasoning (I know it seems like a lot, but it really isn’t- I promise)

1 tsp olive oil

3/4 cup almond milk

2 tsp crushed garlic

Instructions

Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl

Combine the milk, oil, and garlic in a mug and microwave until warm (about 1 minute)

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, using your hands once they form a dough

Form the dough into a ball and leave to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes

Once dough is rested (it won’t grow much), put a pan with a lid on the stove on a medium high heat

Cut the dough ball into four even pieces and roll each piece into a ball

Flatten the balls into naan shaped breads

Place each naan into the pan and put the lid on

Check the bread, and flip it once it is slightly browned underneath, remove from pan once it is slightly browned on both sides

Repeat for additional 3 breads

Serve with butter and a side of marinara sauce for dipping!

Yields:1 cake/6-8 servings

Ingredients

For Cake:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1.5 cups milk, heated to steaming (about 1 minute in the microwave)

4 chai tea bags

1/2 tsp of ground black pepper

1 cup softened unsalted butter

3 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

For Orange Spice Frosting:

1.5 cups unsalted butter (room temperature)

3 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

zest of 1 orange

juice of 1/2 orange

2 tsp all spice

Instructions

For Cake:

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare 2-4 cake pans by lining them with parchment paper. (I used 8″ round pans).

In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a small bowl, steep the heated milk with the tea bags to infuse the flavours. Once steeped, remove the tea bags and add the vanilla extract and black pepper.

In a bowl, beat to combine the sugar and butter, then continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well.

Add in the dry ingredients 1/4 at a time, alternating with the milk, using a hand mixer on a low speed, scraping the bowl until all the ingredients are combined.

Let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes.

Fill the cake pans with equal amounts of batter and level with a spatula.

Bake the cakes for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check at about 25 minutes.

Let the cake cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan before removing from pans and letting cool on wire racks. 

If you are using the pan more than once, prepare the next layer in the pan and bake again. Repeat until all layers are cooked.

For Orange Spice Buttercream

In a bowl using a hand mixer beat the butter until light and fluffy.

Add one cup of powdered sugar at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl when needed.

When all the sugar is added, add in the orange zest, juice, and all spice then beat using your hand mixer on medium high for about 5 minutes until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.

Use to frost cake when the cake has completely cooled.

To assemble cake

Using a piping bag, pipe frosting around the edge of each layer of cake.

Spread the frosting in towards the middle using an offset spatula, adding a little more if needed.

Add next layer on top and repeat until the last layer is on.

Add remaining frosting to the top of the cake and smooth with an offset spatula.

Yields 3-4 servings (in tacos)

Ingredients

1 cup textured vegetable protein (TVP)

1 cup vegetable stock

3 Tbsp taco seasoning

2 Tbsp lime juice

Instructions

Heat pan to medium high

Add TVP and stock to pan and stir to combine

Add taco seasoning and lime juice

Cook on medium high heat until ingredients have cooked together

Yields Approx 1/2 a dozen small cakes

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

A pinch of salt

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter

3/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp caster/granulated sugar

3 large eggs (at room temperature)

2 Tbsp whole milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 Tbsp powdered sugar, plus more for dusting

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

3-4 Fresh Strawberries

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center. Line the bottom of a sheet pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

Grate the butter into a bowl, or the bowl of an electric mixer and add the sugar, then beat until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then beat in milk, 1/2 the vanilla extract, and the almond extract scraping down sides of the bowl when needed with a rubber spatula. 

Mix in flour mixture until combined, then scrape onto the prepared pan, as evenly as possible, smoothing the top.

Bake in the oven on the center rack for 6-8 minutes or until slightly golden around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and take the cake off of the pan using the parchment paper and place onto a cooling rack until cool to the touch (approx 20 minutes)

Using a small glass or a circular cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out an even number of cakes

Put the cream, the powdered sugar, and the remaining vanilla extract in a bowl and, using your hand whisk, beat until stiff peaks form, and slice the strawberries to your desired thickness.

Assemble the cakes by flipping one cake circle upside down, piping the cream on top and then layering the strawberries on top of that. Add another cake circle to the top and dust with powdered sugar.

Yields: 1 Sandwich

Ingredients

2 slices of bread (I used bread from the bakery at our local grocery store and cut it into Texas Toast)

1 Egg

1/4 cup milk

4 Tbsp Cinnamon

1 Tbsp Butter

3 Tbsp Powdered Sugar 

2 Tbsp Peanut Butter

2 Tbsp of your favorite jelly or jam (I used blackberry preserves because that’s what was in my fridge at the time)

Instructions

Put half of your butter into a frying pan on medium high heat

Put your egg, milk, and 3 tbsp of cinnamon into a bowl that is wide and shallow enough to easily dunk your bread, and stir to combine

Dunk your bread into the mixture 

Fry the bread in your pan until browned on both sides, flipping once

Repeat with other slice of bread

Assemble your sandwich by spreading your peanut butter on one piece and the jelly on the other

In a small bowl combine your powdered sugar and cinnamon

Sprinkle powdered sugar mixture onto sandwich using a small sieve

Enjoy!

Yields:6 Servings

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Cup Diced White Onions

1 Glass Red Wine

8 Roma Tomatoes Roughly Chopped

2 Tsp Minced Garlic

3 Tsp  Basil (Chiffonaded)

1 Tbsp Corn Starch

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Instructions

Pour olive oil into a pan on medium high heat

Once oil is hot, add onions and cook until soft

Add red wine, tomatoes, and basil and bring to a slow boil

Reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes

Add garlic and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft

Remove from the heat, and move the mixture to a food processor or blender

Blend until a sauce-like consistency is reached

Take one cup of sauce and mix in corn starch until well blended

Pour corn starch mix into the sauce

Add Salt and pepper to taste

Pour sauce into a jar, onto pasta, or even cook pasta in the sauce on the stovetop