snack » Living Lou

Avocado Feta Dip

While people go nuts over the Superbowl in February, I prefer The Oscars. It’s a time to look back and celebrate a great year of film. I usually love to throw an Oscar Party and last year I shared my menu leading up to the big day. Unfortunately, this year I have a bunch of midterms and papers due which means I will be watching the Oscars from my couch, in sweat pants, going over flashcards during commercial breaks. Does it get any more glamorous?

Instead of a delicious spread like last year, my snack of choice is this healthy Avocado Feta Dip. Midterms means stress, and stress can also mean eating. A lot. When I have this dip in my fridge and some carrot sticks and celery, I’m not worried about the midnight snacking because it’s not like I’m eating a whole row of Oreos… This dip is delicious, my whole family devoured it within seconds and I had to make another batch for tonight. It would also make a great after school snack for kids, just leave out the jalapeno. You can serve it the way I have in the photo above, with some celery, carrot sicks and crackers. It would go really well with red peppers also. Yum.

Avocado Feta Dip
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

2 avocados
3/4 cup diced or crumbled feta
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

In a food processor, pulse avocado, feta, onion, garlic, cilantro and jalapeno.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add lemon and olive oil. Pulse again until smooth.

This Avocado Feta Dip is so easy and healthy, I can foresee this dip having a constant presence in my fridge from now on.

- Lou

Snow Day Hot Cocoa

Today is the third snow day in my academic career. Three days in 15 years.

When I was a kid, a big storm was exciting – it meant fresh snow to make snowmen and it made for terrific toboggan runs down the hills. It’s funny to think that my first snow day was in first grade and my next was in my senior year; the beginning and end. I feel like when you grow up, as with many things, a big storm becomes more of a nuisance, all you’re thinking is about if you’ll have to drive in the snow and dreading shoveling the driveway. But here’s the thing, for me, a big storm still brings on that rush of excitement. I love going to bed knowing that when I wake up, there will be a blanket of fresh, white snow.

Have you ever stood outside during a snow storm? Having lived in downtown Toronto for my entire life, I’m always shocked by how quiet and calm it is when it’s snowing. The quiet is one of my favourite things about the winter; for a few moments, it feels like the whole world stops. Even though I never have classes on a Friday, I decided to take the day off and have my own snow day. I was so inspired by the snow, I knew I had to make a rich and decadent Hot Cocoa.

I put on a snow day playlist I found on Songza and spent the day sipping Hot Cocoa on the couch and was able to finish off the book I have been reading (Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld you can see my review on Goodreads). It was so nice to spend the day doing things I love, no to-do list, just beautiful music, delicious Hot Cocoa, a good book with the gorgeous snowfall as a backdrop. This is why I love winter.

(My beautiful sister, adorable pup and sweet mother enjoying Hot Cocoa)

Snow Day Hot Cocoa (serves 4)

Ingredients

2 cups milk
1 1/4 cup water
1/3 cup whipping cream
3 oz bittersweet chocolate
2 oz semisweet chocolate
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp honey

Directions

Heat milk, water and cream in a pot over medium-high heat. Add chocolates, cinnamon and vanilla extract.

Whisk until chocolate is melted and whisk in honey. Serve and top with marshmallows or whipped cream.

Enjoy the snow and warm up with this Hot Cocoa.

- Lou

5 Ingredient Guacamole

I am obsessed with 5 Ingredient Recipes. And I’m obsessed with avocados, so this 5 Ingredient Guacamole is a natural progression.

Avocados on toast, avocado salad, avocado tossed with a little soya sauce, I could go on and on. While all of those preparations are divine, my favourite way to eat avocado is in its simplest form; plain and scooped right out of the peel with a spoon. People think I’m a little weird because I will literally just bring an avocado to class and eat it straight out of its peel. Sue me!

It’s kind of like the way I like to eat guacamole; made with just a few ingredients to really allow that avocado to shine. Plus it’s way easier and faster. A little onion, garlic and lemon go a long way. And please, don’t skimp on the salt, it’s one of avocados one true loves.

If you’re not really feeling making an extravagant, time consuming Super Bowl party this year (because let’s face it maybe you want to actually enjoy the game (Beyonce half time show) too?) this 5 Ingredient Guacamole is so simple and it will please the crowd. They’ll never know how easy it was.

5 Ingredient Guacamole (serves 4-6)
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

3 avocados, peeled, pitted and smashed
1/4 cup chopped white or yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
coarse salt to taste

Directions

In a bowl, combine avocados, onion, lemon juice and garlic. Season with salt and mix to combine. Serve with your favourite chips.

If you are a fan of a simple, flavorful guacamole (and are in the camp of “what the heck are tomatoes doing in my guac!“) then this is the recipe for you. It couldn’t be easier or faster than this, my friends.

Chocolate Chip Monkey Bread

I have mentioned my goals for 2013 before, and one of those is to use my bread machine more often. It makes baking bread so easy. Over the past couple of years I’ve seen recipes all over the internet for monkey bread and pull apart bread, filled with all types of seasonings; cinnamon and sugar, Parmesan and garlic, the list goes on and on. I first made this Chocolate Chip Monkey Bread last year and have continued to make it pretty consistently since then, but like a lot of favourite recipes, I never thought to share it on here. The dough for Chocolate Chip Monkey Bread is made in the bread machine, but it is rolled out by hand and baked in the oven. I’m sure it could also be made by hand, or with a stand mixer and a dough hook, but I’ve never tried myself.

Chocolate Chip Monkey Bread
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulate sugar
1 1/2 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp instant coffee or espresso
3/4 cup chocolate chips

For Glaze

6 tbsp melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Directions

In the bowl of a bread machine, layer ingredients as per directions. For my bread machine, liquids go first followed by dry ingredients. Set on dough setting.

Meanwhile, melt butter and combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Once dough is done. Roll out into a rectangle, roughly 15″ by 12″. Add the chocolate chips on top of the dough and and fold it over as if you were folding a shirt or a sweater.

Next, knead it a few times. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes. Roll out again into a rectangle and using a pairing knife, cut into pieces.

Grease a bundt pan or a small cake pan with a neutral oil or butter.

Next, roll the pieces of dough into balls. Dip the balls in melted butter and roll in brown sugar and cinnamon. Pack into pan. Repeat with remaining dough.

Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.

If you have a little time this week, this bread is a huge crowd pleaser!

- Lou

Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies

It’s December which means three things; cookies, holidays and unfortunately, exams. This is how it works, I bake (and devour) an insane amount of cookies during exams – these Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies are a result of those stress induced baking sessions. Then the holidays come and I’m all cookie-d out, but I power through and bake (and eat) more cookies. Then, January hits and I don’t want to see a cookie for two months – which is helpful for my annual “time to get healthy” New Year’s resolution.

Back in October (2 months ago already – wow!) I hinted at some holiday recipes on Instagram and well, I can finally share them with you. I created three recipes for a favourite online magazine of mine, Sweet Lemon Magazine. You can find the recipes for Cozy Hot Cocoa, Flourless Chocolate Cake and Apple Cranberry Bundles in my feature A Girls Night In For the Holidays on pages 122-124.

And here’s a little behind-the-scenes from my shoot for Sweet Lemon! That’s me on the left, Sophie (who was really wanting some Cozy Hot Cocoa) and my lovely mother. Also, I’ll be blogging for Sweet Lemon as a resident foodie over on their Zesty Digest Blog – check me out!

Back to the Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies, they were a pre-exam creation. They are a take off of my favourite Ginger Molasses Cookies and my favourite cookbook, The Flavor Bible, says ginger and chocolate go together really well. Like Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday, so I knew I had to try out this combination. What I love about these cookies is that first you taste the chocolate and then there is a hint of ginger and molasses, which becomes even more flavorful and is the perfect aftertaste. If there is one cookie to make this holiday season, it’s definitely these Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies.

Chocolate Ginger Molasses Cookies (makes around 40)
Recipe by Lou

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 scant teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar + 3 tbsp for rolling dough
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 325.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy, about 2-4 minutes. Add egg, molasses and vanilla. Beat until combined.

In two additions, beat in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in chocolate chips.

Roll dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and coat in sugar. Refrigerate for 15 minutes before baking.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the surfaces are slightly cracked. Let cool for 5 minutes then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Let me know if you try the recipe.

- Lou