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Orange Endive Salad

Olive oil is known to have lots of benefits because of its healthy fats and antioxidants, such as improving our cardiovascular function. These health benefits make extra virgin olive oil a wonderful addition to our meals. The stability of the oil when it is in storage and while cooking allows us to include it in all types of meal preparations.

It is also important to know more about the quality and origin of this oil we use everyday. Learn more on how to Flavour Your Life with this healthy delicious oil.

Here is an easy to make delicious Orange endive salad adapted from Fresh Italian cooking book by Academia Barilla.

2 medium oranges

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 head endive thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Cut the peel and white membrane from the oranges, then slice the fruit into segments. In a bowl, whisk the juice that dripped from the oranges with the lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil. Toss the sliced endive with the dressing and serve.

Cookies for Spring

7 tbsp butter at room temperature

1 egg

2/3 cup vanilla infused sugar

1 1/4 cup flour

Callebaut Crispearls* or chocolate chip desired amount optional

Beat the butter, egg and then add in the sugar with an electric mixer. Add the flour and mix with a wooden spoon to make a soft dough. Then mix in the chocolate chips or Callebaut Crispearls.

*Callebaut Crispearls are tiny toasted biscuit kernel coated with chocolate.

Chill the dough in the fridge for about 1/2 hour before making 16 balls from the dough. Place the cookie balls in a lined baking sheet and flatten it about 1/4" thick before baking in a preheated 350F oven for 8 to 10 minutes until it is golden.
Cookies will slightly harden after it cools on a wire rack so don't over bake as it might burn on the bottom. This recipe is adapted from here.

State Farm is offering a grant for us to assist our neighbourhood

Do you have an idea that would make your community a better place to live? Then you will be happy to know about this State Farm Neighborhood Assist™ grant, which will help us make a difference and create a positive change.
People from the United States and Canada can submit a cause and get a chance to win a $25,000 from State Farm Neighbourhood Assist™ grant. This grant can then be used to help benefit their neighbourhood to become a better place.

Fried Chicken

about 8 to 10 chicken pieces

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tbsp chillie powder to preference

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup water

oil to fry*

Mix the salt, turmeric and chillie powder with the chicken pieces then parboil the chicken with the water in medium heat until the liquid evaporates. Remove the chicken from the cooker and leave it aside.

Heat oil to high heat and fry the chicken until it is golden brown in all sides, reduce the heat if the chicken is becoming brown fast.

*I discard the oil after frying chicken so I used about 3" of oil and fried.

Win 1 of 2 Flower Cookie Gift Baskets to celebrate spring

I am excited about the upcoming warm weather, especially the flowers :) In celebration of this excitement I am hosting a giveaway for everyone in the US to win 1 of 2 Flower Cookie Gift Baskets (a value of up to $65).
These cookies are perfect to celebrate any occasion so hope you will enjoy entering the contest through the rafflecopter below before April 7th.

The Cookie Gift Baskets have a wonderful range of flower cookie designs and flavours for us to choose from. They also have sugar-free cookies. If you win you get to choose the baskets you like.

Please leave a comment on this post and follow the social media networks to be eligible. This giveaway is open to everyone over the age of 18 in the US until April 7th.
The winners will be randomly picked and contacted by email by April 14th. Winners will have 3 days to respond from the time of contact.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: I am co-hosting this giveaway and don't have any first-hand experience with the product. The company is responsible for the delivery of the gift baskets. All rights reserved on opinion of the written content Torviewtoronto © 2010 - 2013 unless mentioned. Please Ask First

Eggplant with dried shrimp curry

This side dish tastes delicious served with rice or flatbread. For this curry the eggplant is cooked slow with dried shrimp.

Apple Pudding

Cake

2 tart apples

2 tsp lemon juice

4 tsp sugar for the first part

1 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar for the second part

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup milk

Topping

1 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp cinnamon

Mix the topping ingredients and leave it ready to sprinkle over the top of the batter before baking.

Grease and flour the pan and leave it aside. Peel and slice the apples and sprinkle it with lemon juice. Arrange the apple slices over the bottom of the cake pan. Sprinkle 4 tsp sugar over the apples.

In a bowl cream the butter and sugar. Then add the beaten egg to the mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and add this to the butter mixture, while adding the flour alternate it with the milk.

Spoon the batter over the apples and gently smooth the top. Sprinkle the topping ingredients and bake for 35 to 40 minutes in a preheated 350F oven.

Update: I used a 8" springform or removable pan, you can use a square pan as well.

My daughter made this apple pudding at summer camp last year. This warm delicious pioneer pudding recipe is wonderful to serve on its own or with vanilla ice cream.

Easy flavourful Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs potatoes

1/4 cup butter

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp salt depending on preference

ground black pepper to taste

chopped parsley optional

Brown the butter in a pan, until there is an aroma of a nutty flavour. Make sure not to burn the butter.

Boil the potatoes until it is cooked, drain and mash the potatoes. Mix the potatoes with the browned butter, salt, pepper and buttermilk. Add some chopped parsley and mix, this is optional. Serve the mashed potatoes warm.

This recipe is adapted from the smitten kitchen cookbook.

Tofu Shirataki Noodles

Everyone in my family enjoyed these healthy, unique Tofu Shirataki Noodles.

It is a pasta alternative that has a little bit of a chewy texture and is made with tofu and a blend of soybean and yam flour. Unlike pasta, it's gluten-free, low in calories and low in carbs. These noodles are also cholesterol-free, sugar-free, dairy-free, vegan and kosher certified. It is offered in a variety of shapes including, macaroni, spaghetti, fettuccine and angel-hair.

I served this filling Tofu Shirataki spaghetti Noodles with pasta sauce, feta cheese and Italian seasoning. I also served it with soup, which tasted fabulous. I like the ease of preparing it. We have to rinse the pasta thoroughly, drain then boil it for about 2 to 3 minutes and drain again before serving. Since the pasta is perishable keep it in the fridge. The product is made in USA and is available in all these stores in Canada, USA and online.

Rasam: Spicy vegetarian soup

1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp peppercorn
1 to 2 red chilli1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 cup onion
1 tbsp curry leaves
1 to 2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup tomato
1 tsp tamarind
3 to 4 cups water

Dry roast cumin seeds, fennel seeds, red chillie and peppercorn then grind it. Soak the tamarind in hot water, make pulp and leave aside.

Heat the oil and put the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter add the onions, curry leaves, garlic, ginger and saute. Saute the tomato and salt. Then add the tamarind water and simmer until desired consistency.
This easy to make delicious rasam recipe is from my aunt.

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