Packets of instant oatmeal can help you keep your sanity during hectic mornings, but their sky-high sugar levels are unappetizing. Instead, spoon up this DIY version of a classic instant oatmeal flavour that lets you still enjoy a warm breakfast in a flash but without the nutritional baggage. The addition of walnuts and flax provide heart-healthy fats.
To prepare in microwave, top 1/2 cup (125 mL) oat mixture with 2/3 cup (160 mL) water and microwave on high for about 1 minute.
Per serving:
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Spread oats on rimmed baking sheet and bake until they turn golden and smell toasted, about 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking time. Be careful not to burn the oats. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes.
Combine 1 cup (250 mL) toasted oats, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in food processor. Pulse until mixture is a rough powder. Stir in remaining toasted oats, apple chips, walnuts, and flax.
Store oatmeal in large sealed glass jar or other container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or in refrigerator for up to 2 months.
To make a bowl of oatmeal, place 1/2 cup (125 mL) oat mixture in bowl and top with 2/3 cup (160 mL) boiled water. Cover and let soak for 3 minutes before stirring and serving.
Tourtière is, for me, the dish that best represents Québec. It can be traced back to the 1600s, and there’s no master recipe; every family has their own twist. Originally, it was made with game birds or game meat, like rabbit, pheasant, or moose; that’s one of the reasons why I prefer it with venison instead of beef or pork. Variation: If you prefer to make single servings, follow our lead at the restaurant, where we make individual tourtières in the form of a dome (pithivier) and fill them with 5 ounces (160 g) of the ground venison mixture. Variation: You can also use a food processor to make the dough. Place the flour, salt, and butter in the food processor and pulse about ten times, until the butter is incorporated—don’t overmix. It should look like wet sand, and a few little pieces of butter here and there is okay. With the motor running, through the feed tube, slowly add ice water until the dough forms a ball—again don’t overmix. Wrap, chill, and roll out as directed above.
My love of artichokes continues with this classic recipe, one of the best ways to eat this interesting, underrated, and strange vegetable. Frozen artichoke hearts are a time-saving substitute, though the flavour and texture of fresh artichokes are, by far, much superior and definitely preferred.
Cervelle de canut is basically the Boursin of France, an herbed fresh farmer’s cheese spread that’s a speciality of Lyon. The name is kind of weird, as it literally means “silk worker’s brain,” named after nineteenth-century Lyonnaise silk workers, who were called canuts. Sadly, the name reflects the low opinion of the people towards these workers. Happily for us, though, it’s delicious—creamy, fragrant, and fresh at the same time. Cervelle de canut is one of my family’s favourite dishes. It’s a great make-ahead appetizer that you can pop out of the fridge once your guests arrive. Use a full-fat cream cheese for the dish, or it will be too runny and less delicious.