The caffeine kick and sugar rush delivered from a can of soda pop may help us get through the afternoon, but it’s not doing us any favours when it comes to our health. This DIY soda may be all you need to can your soda habit for good. By adding a splash of coconut milk, you can turn this soda into a creamy treat that rivals any coffeehouse creation.
2 cups (500 mL) fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tsp (5 mL) finely grated orange zest
1/2 in (1.25 cm) piece of vanilla bean, split in half
Ice
Fresh herbs, such as mint, thyme, or basil (optional)
4 cups (1 L) sparkling mineral water or soda water, divided
1/4 cup (60 mL) coconut milk, divided
Orange slices, for garnish
Place orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla bean in medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring often, for about 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced to 1/2 cup (125 mL). Remove from heat and strain mixture through fine mesh sieve into small bowl, pressing down on pulp to extract as much liquid as possible. Chill in refrigerator until cold, about 4 hours.
To serve, pour 2 Tbsp (30 mL) orange syrup into tall glass. Add ice, herbs (if using), and 1 cup (250 mL) soda or sparkling water. Stir to combine well. Top soda with
1 Tbsp (15 mL) coconut milk, and garnish with an orange slice just before enjoying.
Serves 4.
Each serving contains: 95 calories; 1 g protein; 4 g total fat (3 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 15 g total carbohydrates (12 g sugars, 0 g fibre); 6 mg sodium
source: "Smart Snacking", alive #387, January 2015
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.