Do like Pina Kale-Adas? And getting caught in the rain?

Yes! Yes, I do! With all the rain we’ve been having lately, I could use a Pina Colada on a nice, sunny beach! But since it’s noon and I’ve been sitting at my desk for three hours straight already (tsk tsk!), I’m going to do the next best thing: Blend up a Pina Kale-ada and dance to Rupert Holmes in my kitchen.

With a couple servings of vegetables and protein and a bit of exercise, I’ll be set up for a productive afternoon. This recipe makes three cups, which is enough for two people. Personally, I drink the whole thing!

Here’s the song if you’d like to escape with me:

Around Thanksgiving time, I always buy extra bags of fresh cranberries to pop into the freezer. They are so difficult to find off-season, and it’s such a treat to eat them when they are scarce. This Holiday Cranberry Almond Loaf is my favorite cranberry recipe.

Watch the video to see how my grandma used to make fudge and how my mom makes it to this day. Once you learn to recognize when the sugar has reached the soft ball temperature, fudge is pretty easy to make. And it takes so few ingredients!

Here is a quick video showing how we steam and cube pumpkin for use in salads. In this video, I steam the pumpkin before cubing because it’s easier to peel once cooked. You can also peel the pumpkin first and then steam it if you wish.

Here is a quick video showing how we clean pumpkin seeds to prepare for roasting.

Here’s a quick video showing how to cut a small pie pumpkin and steam it to make pumpkin puree.

I love to read old cookbooks and magazines for old tips and cooking tricks. Looking through a 1990 edition of Better Homes and Gardens, I discovered a recipe for Irish Cream Fudge featuring mashed potatoes. The function of the mashed potatoes is to give the fudge a creamy texture. How intriguing!

I love the beginning of fall when bright, sunny days meet the cooling temperatures of the upcoming winter. Sunshine and sweaters is what this salad is all about.

In this salad, fresh citrus, melon, and avocado bring out the lighter side of pumpkin.

Here is a really simple granola bar recipe that takes minutes to make. It’s made with homemade granola. Get the homemade granola recipe here.

Most granola bar recipes call for butter and processed sugar–OK for an occasional treat, but certainly not something I want to serve my 4-year-old all the time.

A quick and easy granola video. I remember large jars of granola in the cupboard as a child. My mom would make it at night after we were asleep. A delicious breakfast to wake up to!

Homemade granola is quick and easy to make, and much less expensive than buying it off the shelf. Most importantly, it’s a lot healthier because you know exactly what’s in it.

With Canadian Thanksgiving just around the corner (October 8, 2012), we’ve been busy chopping, baking, steaming, pureeing, and experimenting with one of our favorite fall fruits: pumpkin.

Today was one of those mornings where my 4-year-old refused to eat breakfast. I went through the list of usual options: Oatmeal? Toast with peanut butter? Apple muffin with sesame butter? Fried egg with ketchup? He replied with a definitive, “No. Neverland!” (It’s his new expression.) So then I got creative.

Ginger ale, or ginger beer, is sweet, slightly spicy and totally refreshing on a hot summer’s day. We started making this last month when the temperatures soared to 40C. At the time, we were experimenting with making fruit wine, or country wine, from fresh cherries. The process of making wine and soda is almost the same in the initial stages. More on our wine experiment coming soon.

Perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up! Apricots and dates give these tasty slices enough sweetness and flavor that no one will suspect they are sugar-free. I added hemp seeds to give an energy boost, but you can substitute sesame seeds or chopped sunflower seeds if that’s what you have on hand.