STEMS & FORKS

Beautiful musings of flora and fare.

Ratatouille Tian

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This recipe post was sponsored by Paderno Kitchenware.

4 Piece Ceramic Bakeware Set from Paderno Kitchenware
44.5 cm x 26 cm x 7 cm large rectangular baker Serves 6
Paderno Square Baker (26 cm x 21.5 cm x 6.3 cm) Serves 3
PADERNO Signature Ceramic Bakeware Set, 4-pc

Ratatouille Tian

Best served with fresh baguette or your favourite loaf of bread.

Serving Size:
6
Time:
1 1/2 hours
Difficulty:
Easy

Ingredients

  • 8 roma tomatoes 
  • 2 medium zucchinis
  • 2 medium eggplants
  • 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 3 shallots diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 orange or yellow bell pepper diced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 3 fresh basil leaves chiffonade 
  • Salt and pepper to taste 
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to garnish before baking

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Wash, prepare and cut all your vegetables and set aside. 
  3. In a non stick pan over medium high heat, warm up 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
  4. Sauté the shallots, 3 cloves garlic minced, thyme and diced pepper for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Add the whole can of diced tomatoes and turn heat down to low. Allow to reduce about 10-12 minutes or until most of the water has cooked off. 
  6. Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes, zucchini, eggplants into thin slices about 3 mm.
  7. Pour the sauce into your Paderno large rectangular bakeware (44.5 cm x 26 cm x 7 cm) from the Paderno Signature Ceramic Bakeware Set.
  8. Alternate the sliced vegetables in the pan in lines or a circular direction. 
  9. Sprinkle with the chopped basil leaves, and salt and pepper to taste.
  10. Drizzle 2 tablespoons over the vegetables.
  11. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour, removing foil for last 15 minutes. 
  12. Allow to sit for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. This allows the juices to get reabsorbed.
  13. *Divide all the ingredients above by half to make it a serving for 3-4. Use Paderno Square Baker (26 cm x 21.5 cm x 6.3 cm) from the Paderno Signature Ceramic Bakeware Set.  

Spiced Rum, Pecan, and Chocolate Bundt Cake

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This recipe was sponsored by Paderno Kitchenware.

Paderno Kitchenware’s Fine-Edge Arch Cake Pan.

PADERNO Montgomery Chef’s Knife, 8-in
PADERNO Digital Kitchen Scale, 30-lb

Spiced Rum, Pecan and Chocolate Bundt Cake. This cake is super nutty and chocolately, mildly tipsy with a mellow touch of spice. It’s not a typical commercial bakery cake with a structured crumb. Rather an uber moist and delicious cake. Enjoy.

Spiced Rum, Pecan and Chocolate Bundt Cake

Serving Size:
10
Time:
15 min prep,
1 hour bake
Difficulty:
Easy

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups or 295 g whole grain flour (NO SUBSTITUTES)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder 
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom 
  • 1 1/4 cup or 250 g white granulated sugar 
  • 1 cup vegetable oil 
  • 1 cup fancy molasses 
  • 5 large eggs room temperature 
  • 1/2 cup spiced rum 
  • 3/4 cup thick sour cream or Greek yogurt 
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk 
  • 1 1/2 cup or 185 grams chopped pecans 
  • 1 1/2 cup or 200 g semi-sweet chocolate chunks 
  • FOR THE ICING:
  • 1.5 cups or 185 g icing sugar 
  • 2 tablespoons spiced rum 
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
  • OPTIONAL:
  • 1 tablespoon icing sugar to sprinkle on top of frosting

Directions

  1. Take your 10” Fine-Edge Arch Paderno Bundt Pan and grease with baking spray OR brush 2 tablespoons of unsalted and softened butter (make sure you grease all the grooves and indents) and dust with AP flour. Discard the access flour and set pan aside. 
  2. Preheat oven to 350F with oven rack in middle. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole grain flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt and set aside. 
  3. In another large bowl, whisk together the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, molasses, spiced rum, Greek Yogurt and buttermilk until a smooth. 
  4. Add the flour mix into the wet mix bowl slowly and whisk together for about 30 seconds. 
  5. Fold 1 1/4 cup pecans and 1 1/4 cup chocolate chunks into the batter. Do not over mix. 
  6. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chunks and 1/4 cup chopped pecans into the Paderno Bundt pan. 
  7. Pour batter into bundt pan and bake for 55-65 minutes. Or until a tester stick comes out mostly clean. 
  8. Allow pan to rest about 20 minutes. Invert onto coolling rack or plate and allow to completely cool. 
  9. FOR THE ICING: Whisk together the icing sugar, spiced rum and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy. Once the bundt has cooled, drizzle the icing over the top of the cake.
  10. Dust 1 table spoon icing sugar. (Optional) 

SOLD OUT. Through the Looking Glass: Photography & Editing Workshop Toronto February 22nd and February 23rd 2020. An introspective session bringing soul back into photos.

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A Photograph…captures a moment, an essence, a vision, a memory. It reveals the soul of the subject but more the soul of the person behind the camera. It is one of the strongest mediums to tell a story, and in recent years, it has become the most accessible, democratic form of art and expression. 

Today, particularily through social media we are overwhelmed with visual diaries. Windows into the souls of our sisters, friends, celebrities and even pets. This was not the case 25 years ago when smartphones didnt exist.  Photography was different. Every frame mattered in an age when camera live views didnt exist and film rolls were expensive to develop.

On Saturday February 22nd and Sunday February 23rd, I will be hosting a workshop that will go back to the way we photographed. With meaning, intention and purpose.  Through elements such as props, light, angles, composition, botanicals and editing, the simplest food or subject can be transformed into an opulent visual story. Learn to stand out from the ever growing saturated crowd of “photographers” and tell your unique narrative.  To photograph the soul of your subject as if it were your own through today’s looking glass; the camera. 

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CANCELLED due to COVID- Paris In Spring: Photography Food Styling and Editing Workshop Saturday March 14th and Sunday March 15th 2020

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Paris Photography/Editing Workshop Saturday March 14th and Sunday March 15th

Saturday, March 14th and Sunday, March 15th 2020

Paris…the most beguiling place to be during spring. She gives us blossoms of pink magnolias, warm sunbeams and soft rain mists. She sings with her gothic church bells, high and clear as her notes dapple the narrow cobble stoned pathways to lead us to scents of perfume and warm sweet bread. She’s centuries old and yet Paris still breathes and exhales art and culture with ease and abundance. She is a Goddess. The unrivalled Venus on earth and the ideal backdrop to reload oneself with creativity, memories and inspiration.

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Curried Potato and Parsnip Soup

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Paderno Wooden Spoon and Paderno Variable Speed Immersion Blender

This post was sponsored by Paderno Kitchenware. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

And just like that, the summer break is over, the kids are back in school and we find ourselves pulling our duvets out from the cedar closet. It’s my favourite time of year. That time sandwiched between summer and fall when the evenings are chilly enough to start serving hot soups with bread and slurp by an open fire. 
 
This curried potato, parsnip soup is the perfect weeknight soup. It’s fast and easy to prepare…20-25 minutes tops. And it’s full of potassium, rich in antioxidants, fibre and vitamin C. Typically cream is used for potato soups however this recipe calls for plain Greek yogurt. Use low fat plain Greek yogurt to make it less calorie rich. 
Any powdered curry should work here. I tend to like a bit of heat and thus used 1 tablespoon. Feel free to reduce this to 1 1/2 teaspoons to make the curry flavour mild. Be creative with toppings. Pictured here i used croutons and crème fraîche then sprinkled with some fresh dill and toasted walnuts. Alternatively you can use are pea shoots, pumpkin seeds, chevre, parmesan or bacon bits. 

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Tahini Maple Syrup Brownies

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The post was sponsored by Metro Ontario. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Peanut butter, dry roasted nuts and my childhood favourite, Pirate peanut butter cookies. I loved peanuts and anything peanut. However, as of 2008, I have not had any peanuts. That was the year we discovered my daughter was allergic to peanuts and was classified as anaphylactic. 

The first question I always get from young mothers is, “How did you find out?”. My daughter was 2 years old and a typical toddler. She was a super picky eater when it came to meals. In retrospect, this was a good thing. The day we found out was when I decided to share my peanut butter and jam sandwich. It was a first for Moineau. She took one bite and spat it out with disgust. Moments later, she broke out with a rash around her mouth. After seeing an allergist and getting tested, it was official. She was severely allergic to peanuts.

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Grand Marnier Strawberry Dulce De Leche Pie

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This Post was sponsored by Paderno. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

I was tempted to name this pie “Strawboffee.” Doesn’t seem to roll off the tongue as well as Banoffee does it. But in all fairness, I wanted to pay homage to the infamous British pie the Banoffee: a portmanteau of its two main ingredients. Bananas and toffee. 

So instead I called it a Strawberry Dulce de Leche Pie which doesn’t do the tart justice. But I couldn’t name it “Crushed digestive cookie crust, layered with a rich dulce de leche, with red strawberries macerated in Grand Marnier, topped up with a massive fluffy cloud of Chantilly cream and shaved chocolate Pie,” now could I?

Paderno Power Blender
Paderno Power Blender 2-Litre jar is shatter-,scratch- and stain-resistant, as well as BPA-free.
Paderno Power Blender’s Vortex Blade Technology is specially-designed to circulate food while blending or chopping for perfect, consistent results

In this recipe, I made the dulce de leche by cooking the milk slowly in a Bain-Marie. Feel free to make your own homemade dulce de leche or boiling down the can of sweetened condensed milk in a pot. Frankly, I have never tried doing the method of boiling the entire can for an hour. I’ve read a few horror stories of it exploding mid boll! If you do boil the can please make sure the can of condensed milk is constantly and fully submerged in the boiling pot of water the entire time it is boiling. About 1 hour to boil is what I read online. The trick I’ve used below is cooking the condensed milk in the oven for an hour and a half in a Bain-Marie, a hot water bath. To slowly and evenly cook the condensed milk into a thick caramel toffee. …

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Raspberry Beet Smoothie Cake

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This post was sponsored by Paderno Kitchenware. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Paderno’s Power Blender with the Vortex Blade System, Paderno’s Maple Cutting Board and Paderno’s Immersion Blender .

A few years ago, I remembered travelling by train and talking to a few tourists from Germany about the unbearable scorching heat we were experiencing at the time in the south of France. They teased me that the humidity was probably a warm welcome, considering the arctic conditions I must endure back home here in Canada.

That’s right…arctic conditions. 

Paderno’s Richmond Cake Server.

It’s 30 C temperature plus humidity here in Southern Ontario.  Which means I try to keep the oven off, dishwasher running at a minimum and stick my head in the freezer as often as possible. Snacking consists of cold coffee, smoothies, and ice cream. And definitely loads of fresh local berries. 

Which is why this Raspberry Beet Smoothie Cake made with Paderno’s Power Blender is my go-to cake to battle our humid hot summers. I tend to omit the word “beet” when asking the kids if they want some “raspberry smoothie cake topped with whipped cream.” And to be completely honest, you don’t taste beets. Rather a smooth, sweet, crunchy and icy treat. 

Paderno’s Richmond Cake Server.

The beautiful thing about using Paderno’s Power Blender is the Vortex Blade System. It ensures a smooth and consistent result every time. No undesirable chunks of beets that kids may potentially bite into. Instead, a creamy, perfect texture. The blender itself is super easy to use. There are pre-set functions and manual speed settings for smooth operation and accurate controls. There’s even a smoothie function!

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