Cooked

1. Place almonds in a bowl and cover with water. It’s preferred to soak them overnight (for 8-12 hours) in the water, but you can get away with soaking for 1-2 hours in a pinch.
2. Rinse and drain the almonds and place into a blender along with filtered water, pitted dates, and chopped vanilla bean.
3. Blend on highest speed for 1 minute or so.
4. Place a nut milk bag over a large bowl and slowly pour the almond milk mixture into the bag. Gently squeeze the bottom of the bag to release the milk. This took me about 3-5 minutes to get all the milk out.
5. Rinse out blender and pour the milk back in. Add the cinnamon and pinch of sea salt and blend on low to combine.
6. Pour into a glass jar to store in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Shake jar very well before using as the mixture separates when sitting. Enjoy with Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies for a real treat. This milk is also lovely with cereal.
7. Notes: If your dates or vanilla bean are dry/stiff, soak in water to soften before use. You can also use another sweetener of your choice like maple syrup. Same goes for vanilla – feel free to use vanilla extract for a more subtle vanilla flavour.

oh She glows

1. In a large, heavy saucepan, whisk together egg yolks, brown sugar, and pumpkin purée into a smooth paste. Slowly whisk in cream and then milk until fully combined.
2. Whisk in cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and star anise, and cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until a custard forms on the back of a spoon and a swiped finger leaves a clean line, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Push custard through a fine mesh strainer with the back of a spoon or ladle into an airtight container. Stir in bourbon or rye and salt, cover, and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 6 hours and up to over night. Churn in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer ice cream to airtight container, quickly stir in gingersnaps and candied ginger, and firm up in freezer for at least 3 hours before serving.

Put this all in a spice grinder and grind it pretty fine.

mix

1. Place a large Dutch oven or heat-proof pan on the stove and add the olive oil along with the sausage, breaking it up roughly with your fingers. Brown the sausage for a few minutes and break it up a bit more with a spatula.
2. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrot and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste, the stock, and the beans. Season and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
3. If you are adding any cabbage, tomatoes, or zucchini to the soup, add them 5 minutes before serving so they don’t overcook. Serve with crusty bread and some grated Parmesan, if you wish.

1. In a food processor, combine the shrimp and eggs and process until almost smooth. Add the butter and truffle oil, if using, season with salt and white pepper and pulse until the butter is incorporated but still visible in small pieces. Test a small amount for seasoning by microwaving it at high power for 10–15 seconds, or by sautéing it in a little oil in a small pan.
2. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. Use or place in a container, cover and store refrigerated for up to 2 days.
3. To form the shumai, have a bowl of water handy. Hold 1 wonton wrapper in the palm of your non-dominant hand. Cup the hand and place 1 heaping tablespoon of the mousse in the centre of the wrapper. Bring the wrapper up around the filling, pressing it to adhere to the filling and pleating as you go. Continue around the filling. There will be 6–8 pleats and the filling will be exposed. Tap the dumpling against the work surface to flatten the bottom. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
4. Put the scallions on a platter. Add the sesame seeds and combine. With a wet palm, press down on the shumai, flattening them to a thickness of about ½ inch. Press the ‘open’ top side of the shumai into the scallion mixture.
5. Line a large plate with paper towels. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to coat the pan. When the oil is hot, carefully add half the shumai to the pan coated side down and cook until golden, turning once, for 1 ½ – 2 minutes per side. The tip of a paring knife, when inserted in the shumai, should emerge hot.
6. Transfer the shumai to the kitchen paper to drain. Cook the remaining shumai with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with the reserved scallion greens and serve.

1. Soak the cranberries in the port for an hour. Fry the onion and bacon gently in the butter, until the onion is tender and the bacon is cooked. Add the garlic and fry for another minute or so.
2. Cool slightly, then mix with all the remaining ingredients, including the cranberries and port, adding enough egg to bind – I find it easiest to use my hands. Fry a knob of stuffing in a little butter, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a blender, combine eggs, flour, salt, pepper, and herbs, milk, and cheese. Blend on medium speed.
3. Spray a mini-muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Remove popovers from muffin tin and cool on a wire rack. Save in a storage container to take to the picnic.

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Butter and flour parchment and sides of cake pan, or spray both with a nonstick baking spray.
2. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan (or large one, if you’d like to make the cake entirely in there) and add baking soda — it will foam up! this is fun! Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir in butter until melted. Whisk in dark brown sugar, molasses and fresh ginger, if using. Mixture is usually just lukewarm by now, but if it still feels quite hot to the touch, set it aside to 10 to 15 minutes to cool further before using.
3. Place flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt and baking powder in a fine-mesh strainer or sifter so that you can sift them over the wet ones in a minute.
4. Transfer molasses mixture to a large mixing bowl if your saucepan isn’t large enough to make the batter in. Whisk in eggs until just combined. Sift dry ingredients over wet, then stir the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer cake to a wire rack and let cool completely. Once fully cool, cut around cake to make sure no parts are sticking to the side and invert cake out onto a rack, then onto a serving plate. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and cut into squares. Please, promise you’ll serve this with lightly sweetened, softly whipped cream. They’re made for each other.
6. Do ahead: Whipped cream needs to be stored in the fridge, of course. Cake keeps at room temperature for up to a week in an airtight container. It gets better with age, just like you, babe.

1. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then pour in the olive oil and tilt the pan to coat the bottom with oil. Add the chickpeas and fry for about 6 minutes, or until golden. Whisk together the tamari, tomato paste, maple syrup, and liquid smoke. Pour over the chickpeas, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, tear the greens into bite-size pieces, wash, and spin dry. Transfer to a large salad bowl and add the onion, tomatoes, avocado, and carrot. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Toss the vegetables to coat with dressing and divide the salad among serving bowls.
3. Sprinkle nutritional yeast over the warm chickpeas and stir to coat. Top the salad with hot chickpeas and a twist of freshly ground black pepper to taste, and serve it up!