Edible autumn

photo by pwisenberg

Fall is certainly upon us, and if you're anything like me that means bubbly casseroles, flavourful soups and everything in between. I suppose this little beauty qualifies as a stew- it's rich, hearty and the perfect meal for a crisp fall evening (not to mention that it combines sweet potatoes and peanut butter, two of my all-time favourite ingredients!) I took the night off from studying to enjoy it with grainy bread and cheesy horror movies, a winning combo if I do say so myself.

Hearty autumn stew
Serves 6-8 

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp chili flakes
salt and pepper
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 cup whole pearl onions (optional)
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup all natural peanut butter
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

In a large pot, heat the oil on medium heat and add the onions, garlic, ginger, carrots celery and jalapeno. Season with cumin, cinnamon, chili flakes, salt and pepper and cook for five to ten minutes, until slightly soft. Add everything else to the pot except for the cilantro. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until thick and rich. Rectify the seasoning if necessary and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Serve piping hot with fresh bread if desired and let it warm your belly from the inside out!

Be mine

photos by pwisenberg & me

Happy Valentine's Day! In honour of cuddles, kisses and sugary sweets, I decided to bake up some special v-day cookies. I used this recipe from the Post Punk Kitchen (although the cinnamon hearts were my festive idea), and was surprised at how easy they were to make. Oh, and it's basically a peanut butter ball wrapped in chocolate cookie dough, seriously. I'll admit one thing though, the raw dough just may have been better than the final product, so I permit you to lick the spoon until the cows come home. These little bites are scrumptious and the recipe makes tons, so there's plenty of love to go around!

On a sweeter note

photos by me

When it comes to desserts, I have to admit that my creative juices tend to run dry. Don't get me wrong, I can follow a recipe like nobody's business, but don't expect any original winners from this birdie. I'd been wanting to try this lovely little dessert ever since I got Alicia's Silverstone's book The Kind Diet- I know I know, a celebrity cookbook, please don't judge- and boy am I glad I did! With under 5 ingredients, these crispy peanut butter treats are incredibly easy and don't even require any baking. And let's face it people, when peanut butter is involved don't we all eschew any sense of self control? Or is that just me? Hmmm, well anyhow here is the recipe for Alicia's delicious dessert (more from her here)- I tweaked it slightly by increasing the amount of peanut butter (go figure) and by opting to dust half the final product with icing sugar and half with cocoa powder. Delightful to look at and even more delightful to share with the sweeties in your life!

Crispy peanut butter treats with chocolate chips
Makes about 25 squares

1 box brown rice crisps cereal
1 3/4 cups brown rice syrup (available at specialty stores like my personal fav The Big Carrot)
A generous pinch of sea salt
1 cup all natural peanut butter (I chose chunky, but smooth works too)
1/2 cup nondairy chocolate chips
Icing sugar and cocoa powder for dusting

Pour the entire box of rice crisps into a (very) large bowl (I wound up having to use two). Heat the syrup with the salt in a small saucepan until liquefied. Add the peanut butter and stir to combine. Pour mixture onto rice crisps and mix well. Once completely cool, stir in the chocolate chips. Spread mixture evenly into baking dish (again, I needed two) with a slightly wet wooden spoon. Let cool for one hour. Dust with sugar or cocoa, cut into squares and enjoy!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

Hungry Birdie xo