Whole Pears baked into Cardamom Cake

For Poaching Pears you will need:

• 3 medium-sized crisp, firm pears (Bosc are very firm- next time I'll use red pears), peeled but whole with the stem left on
  
• 1 (750-ml) bottle dry white wine
  
• 1¼ cups sugar
  
• 4 cloves
  
• 3 star anise
  
• 8 cardamom pods
  
• 2 cinnamon sticks
  
• 1 vanilla bean
  

For the cake:

• 1½ cups butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 1½ cups self-rising flour (you can use 2 tsp baking soda and a ½ tsp salt added to flour)*
  
• 1 generous tbsp ground cardamom
  
• Pinch of salt
  
• 3 oz white chocolate
  

*I used a mixture of chestnut, almond and sorghum flours

To poach the pears: Peel the pears all around to the stem on top. Leave the steams. Combine the pears, wine, sugar, cloves, star anise, cardamom, and cinnamon in a large saucepan and poach for 30 minutes over low heat- you may want to bring to a high heat first and reduce to simmer if the pears are very firm.
Take the pears out of the liquid and set aside to cool. Add 2 cups water to the poaching liquid and boil to reduce the liquid by half to serve as a sauce with the cake if you would like.




For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F
Using a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until thoroughly creamed. Beat in the eggs one at the time.
Sift the flour, cardamom, and salt over the batter and fold it in.
Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper inside.
Spoon the batter into the pan. Press the pears in, stem end up (you can cut the bottom off flat so the pears will stand straight). Bake for 40 -50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake part comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the pan, then remove the cake from the pan to a rack to cool.
Melt the white chocolate by putting a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Stir the chocolate in the bowl until melted. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cake and create nice stripes on top

When you are ready to serve slice the cake thick and pour the reduced syrup over the cake. Enjoy.

Vegan Blueberry Muffins

You will notice the key difference with these muffins in using some freeze dried blueberries. This helps with texture as well as taste. 

1 1/3 cup almond flour
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup arrowroot flour
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
1/2 cup coconut milk (full-fat)
1/2 cup water or coconut water
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1/4 cup smoothly mashed avocado
1/3 cup (each) frozen blueberries and freeze dried blueberries*




* the freeze- dried have a very intense flavor and they prevent the muffins from being too wet. If you don't have them, use all frozen or fresh. Just use less of the water


Preheat oven to 350.
Go ahead and mix all dry ingredients together.
Cream together all the wet.
Combine both mixtures.
Place batter into lined muffin cups.

Bake on 350 for about 20 minutes or until top springs back when pressed. 

Naturally Green Pistachio Ice Cream

The following recipe is from my fabulous mother in law, Debbie. A nice summer treat for the heat!!

1 pint 1/2&1/2
3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk1/2 cup heavy cream1 ripe avocado1/2 cup raw sugar1/2 teaspoon almond extract1/2 teaspoon vanilla1/4 teaspoon spirulina powder (optional. Makes it greener,naturally)3/4 cup shelled, salted pistachio nuts


Put all ingredients except nuts in a blender (or bowl to use an immersion blender) blend until smooth. Pour mixture into ice cream maker. Follow manufacturers directions. When ice cream is done add nuts for a few more turns of the machine. Put ice cream into a container and cure for a couple of hours in the freezer and enjoy!

Orange Ginger Marble Cheesecake

I'm going to admit straight away that I am not a fan of chocolate and citrus together especially chocolate and orange. I'm not sure why I came up with the following recipe but I figure this: I really enjoy orange and ginger. Something creamy added to orange is nice and adding chocolate on top of that doesn't seem so bad- thus, an orange ginger marble cheesecake doesn't seem like such a bad idea.

For the crust:

• 4 tablespoons butter - chill and cut in 4
• 1 cup almonds (I used 1/2 cup cocoa covered almonds) 
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 teaspoon orange zest 
• 2 cubes crystallized ginger
• 1/8 cup sugar
• dash of salt 

Preheat oven to 375. 

Pulse all ingredients into a food processor until they start to form a dough. Press into the bottom as a non stick spring-form pan and bake for 13 minutes. Let cool and chill in the refrigerator for thirty minutes while making the filling. Reduce oven temp to 325.

For the filling: 

• 16 oz of neufchatel or creamcheese 
• 8 oz ricotta or firm tofu (yes, tofu- it helps create a dense cheesecake that won't crack)
• 4 oz Siggi's Icelandic Orange Ginger yogurt or just plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup sugar 
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 oz triple sec or other orange liquor
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 cube crystallized ginger, minced
• 3 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa
• 3 oz dark chocolate (60% or more) 

Your oven should be preheated to 325. 

Put a kettle of water on to boil.

In a standing mixture place cheeses, tofu and yogurt and mix on medium low til blended. Add the eggs one at a time on medium and then sugar. Add the egg yolks and vanilla along with triple sec, zest and ginger. 

On the side using a glass or metal bowl whisk together the cocoa, chocolate and 2 tablespoons of boiling water from the kettle. Meanwhile prepare the crust by wrapping the pan nearly all the way up in one sheet of foil (no holes) and placing it inside a roasting pan. Set aside. 

Scrape down the sides of the cheese cake mixture and using a 1 1/2 of mixture strain thru a sieve into the chocolate mixture and whisk together. 

Put the remaining "vanilla" mixture in the spring-form pan with the crust (as long as it's smooth- if not, also strain thru a sieve). Then top the "vanilla" portion with the blended chocolate part, placing it in dollops over the vanilla. After take a knife and with a cutting motion move your knife in a star shape across the cheesecake to "marble" it. 

Pour hot water from kettle halfway up the cheesecake into the roasting pan surrounding it.

Bake for up to 1 hour and 20 min or until set in the center. Turn off the heat of the oven and open the door but let cheesecake remain another half hour to avoid cracking. Place in fridge for at least for hours before serving, preferably over night. 

Enjoy xoxo Renee

*I served mine with raspberry coulis but it could use a marmalade or stand up by itself :)

Grilled Chocolate Pound Cake Sandwiches

The following recipe is provided by my mom-in-law Debbie. It's a perfect little treat while wishing for warmer weather :0




Toasted coconut ice cream:

2/3 cup finely shredded coconut, unsweetened
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups half & half
1 cup full fat coconut milk
3/4 cup sugar (1 cup if you like it sweeter)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract


Place the coconut in a dry skillet and toast over medium heat until lightly browned,stirring frequently.
When the coconut is browned add 1 cup of 1/2&1/2. Let it bubble. Remove from heat, add the sugar and the extracts.
Chill completely. Add the chilled mixture and all the rest of the ingredients to ice cream maker and follow manufacturers instructions. Let it cure overnight.


Pound cake:


1/2 cup butter
4oz cream cheese
1 cup sugar (coconut palm sugar is what I used)
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond flour
1/2 cup hazelnut flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt


In a standing mixer, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add extracts. Add flours, baking powder and salt. Mix just until combined. Butter a loaf pan and put a strip of parchment paper along the bottom and up the short sides. Bake 325 degrees 45 minutes to an hour, until springs to touch. Cool.


To assemble sandwiches:

Finely chop 3/4 cup of 60% dark chocolate. Slice pound cake into 3/4 -1 inch slices. In a cast iron skillet melt 1/2 tablespoon butter. Place 4 slices in skillet. After 1-2 minutes flip them over. Carefully put 2 tablespoons of chocolate (each) on two of the slices. After another minute, place the plain slices on top of the ones with the chocolate, creating two sandwiches. Repeat with the rest of the cake and chocolate. You should be able to get 6-8 sandwiches from one cake. Top with the coconut ice cream.




*Note: this works much better if the cake was baked the previous day

Honey Almond Banana Bread

We all know banana bread seems to be the after thought of bananas gone bad but regardless of that no-fail recipe your Aunt Mary gave you. Maybe trying a new twist isn't so bad. I used honey to sweeten this banana bread and almonds instead of the classic walnut pairing.

You will need:

• 1/2 butter or oil 
• 1/2 cup honey 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 over ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 1/2 cup flour (I used almond and oat flours, mixed) 
• 1/2 cup coarse chopped almonds
• 1 tsp baking soda 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla 
• dash of salt 

Combine the dry ingredients and set aside. 

Preheat the oven to 350. 

Cream the butter (melted) and honey with sugar on medium with your mixer. 

Add in the eggs one at a time and scrape the sides down with a spatula. Add the vanilla and bananas while mixing on medium speed as well as the salt. 

Slowly add in the flour and fold in the almonds. 

Pour mixture in a greased traditional sized bread pan. 

Bake for 60 minutes or until cooked through in the center. 

Lentil Casserole with Crumbled Goat Cheese and Drizzled Honey

Lentils, lentils, lentils. These amazing little legumes are not only delicious, but they are deliciously good for you! Here at the McMullen house we have been trying to find healthy alternatives to eating meat all the time. I had a bag of lentils on hand and clearly the first thought is a nice big bowl of comfort lentil soup. I have to agree with the Greek playwright Aristophanes who once called lentil soup the “sweetest of delicacies." (I may have googled 20 fun facts about lentils and found that gem of a quote) Anytime I feel under the weather, or just down right blue from the never ending snow that has been falling upon us, ahhh there is lentil soup on the stove making me feel oh so much better. Well I decided to change things up and try something new, lentil casserole with crumbled goat cheese. Every time I make a new recipe we grade it on a scale of A to F, and my husband Micah rated this at the very top, the prized A. I strongly encourage you to make and post some feedback with your rating and adaptations!

 What you will need:
1 cup lentils
2 cups water
1/2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion
1 to 2 large carrots, grated
1 good handful of fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons of flour (you can use a gluten-free option as well)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup goat cheese (I used a whole small container, but I personally love cheese)
Salt and pepper to taste
Honey to drizzle on top

How to make:
1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2)Bring the lentils and water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the lentils to cook all the way until the water is absorbed.
3) While lentils are cooking, heat the olive oil in a frying pan and then add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Then add in the carrot and garlic and sautee until they are tender.
4) Add the cooked veggies to the cooked lentils and mix in the chopped parsley, flour, soy sauce, and salt and pepper.
5) Grease a small 8x8 casserole dish and spread the lentil mixture evenly. Top with goat cheese.
6) Bake for about 10-15 minutes until the cheese has softened.
7) Top with extra parsley and lightly drizzle with honey, then enjoy!

Hope everyone enjoys this as much as we did!