News
Vegan Eating During the Holidays January 05 2018
Although it may seem like a daunting task, with a little preparation and planning, remaining vegan during the holiday season is really quite easy. With so many amazing vegan products on the market, and hundreds of quality vegan recipe blogs on the internet, creating a bountiful and satisfying holiday spread has never been easier. I think it's fun to create vegan versions of traditional holiday recipes and share with my non vegan friends and family -- and in most instances with baked goods and foods where meat isn't the main ingredient, many cannot distinguish the difference between the traditional recipe and the vegan recipe. As for almost everything, preparation is key, and making sure that you have the correct supplies and ingredients on hand is essential. Experiment with new recipes and ingredients, and ask your loved ones to help you with preparation -- this makes cooking more fun and highlights the magic of the holiday season.
Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2018!
Payton
Sneak Peak - New Year's Eve Menu December 30 2016
I am busy getting ready for our annual New Year’s Eve Celebration. I’ve decided to give you a sneak peak at this year’s menu. How many products from our marketplace can you spot?
I may add a few other surprise items to keep it interesting. For those of you attending… come hungry!
Happy New Year!
Julie
Devilled Eggs with La Boîte Izak N. 37 & Rick’s Picks Hotties
Caviar with traditional condiments(egg white, egg yolk, chives, red onion, crème fraiche)
Smoked Fish from Barney Green Grass with lemon wedges, toast points and crackers
Cheese Plate with Paul and Pippa Don Manchego and Tomato Bravo Biscuits
Baked Brie in Puff Pastry with Gus & Grey Jam
Simple Pizzas with Due Cellucci Tomato Sauce( cheese, mushroom & truffle oil)
Tiny But Mighty Microwave Popcorn
Rococo Chocolates Dipped Pretzels and Strawberries
Fudgy Brownies
Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcake Menorah
Cheers! Berry Pomp Punch Recipe December 16 2016
We’re just over 1 week away from Christmas and Hanukkah. While I’m looking forward to celebrating those holidays with family and friends, I am actually focused more on New Year’s Eve. We have a tradition of hosting the New Year’s Eve festivities at our home. The tradition has changed a bit over the past 2 years now that I have two small children. The party that used to last until 2am and beyond now begins at 6pm and everyone is gone by 10pm. It is great for my other friends with children and serves as the warm-up for those who have bigger and better plans afterward.
Each year my husband and his friend spend hours if not days and weeks trying to decide what will make the perfect punch. There used to be 2 punches that no-one drank but last year I limited them to one and it seemed to work out. We had guests drink every drop of that punch. This year I am going to make a suggestion by placing this recipe from P & T for Berry Pomp Punch out on the counter. It is the perfect punch for all of your upcoming holiday celebrations.
Cheers,
Julie
P&T Berry Pomp Punch
Makes 4-8 servings
Ingredients:
2 bags P&T Berry Pomp Tea
350 mL Vodka
200 mL Fresh Lemon Juice
400 mL Cloudy Apple Juice
400 mL ginger beer
Orange Slices for Garnish
Ice
Method:
-Infuse P&T Berry Pomp Tea in vodka overnight
-Strain vodka into punch bowl
-Mix all ingredients together and serve with ice and orange slices
April is Here April 01 2016
Ahh… April is here. Does that mean April Fools or April Showers or that spring is finally here? It definitely means we are into the second quarter of 2016. I thought this would be a good time to check in on my New Year’s Resolution. If you don’t remember, my resolution this year was to be more organized.
I started off on the right foot and was very focused on making sure everything had a place and returning it to that place. Somewhere between the middle and end of January I started losing focus and I can say that once Valentine’s Day was celebrated I was completely off track. I could make a lot of excuses for not keeping up with this resolution like living in temporary housing or having a second child. Unfortunately I knew those things were going to happen when I made the resolution and perhaps are some of the reasons I made it.
April 1 is going to be my wake-up call to get back on track. I’m going to refocus my efforts into organizing my life. Hopefully that will mean I will be able to carve out more time to try new recipes and look for more amazing products!
I hope you’ve done better with your New Year’s Resolution and if not, use this as a wake-up call like I am. There is still a lot of time in 2016 to get back on track.
Happy Friday,
Julie
A Happy, Healthy & Sweet New Year September 18 2015
L’Shana Tova 5776! This week marked the beginning of the New Year on the Jewish calendar. As with most Jewish Holidays, there are certain foods associated with this holiday. We typically eat apples dipped in honey and just about anything else that is sweet. Here is a delicious recipe for Chocolate Honey Cake. I used the Portland Farmland Honey from Bee Local. It is new to our marketplace and super delicious. Read more about Bee Local here.
Happy Friday,
Julie
Chocolate Honey Cake with Bee Local Portland Farmland Honey
Makes one 9-inch loaf cake
Ingredients:
2 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¾ cup Bee Local Portland Farmland Honey
2/3 cup light brown sugar
½ cup orange juice
1 cup mini chocolate chips
Method:
-Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. Melt the unsweetened chocolate in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time stirring in between. Set aside
-Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Set aside.
--In a larger bowl, beat the eggs and add the oil and Bee Local Portland Farmland Honey. Then add the brown sugar and chocolate chips.
-Alternately add the dry ingredients and the orange juice. Stir in ¾ cup of the mini chocolate chips.
-Pour the batter in to the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips over the top.
-Bake on lower rack of the oven for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for about 15 minutes. Gently run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake, then remove it from the pan.