Dark Chocolate Tahini Tart

 

This recipe is from Soom. If you’ve read this blog before, you know that I am a big fan of Soom! We always have some of their chocolate tahini on hand. That being said, if it’s not an option for you, you can use regular tahini and simply add some cocoa and maple syrup to get closer to the intended result, or use the chocolate spread of your choice. I’ve reordered the ingredients below to make the recipe easier to follow. I really loved this tart!

For the crust
2 ¼ cups almond flour (I used 270 g)
1⁄3 cup cocoa powder (I used 35 g)
1 pinch of salt
¼ cup Soom Chocolate or Chocolate Sea Salt Sesame Spread
3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the filling
1 can full fat coconut milk (13.5 oz)
1 9-oz package dark chocolate chips
½ cup Soom Chocolate or Chocolate Sea Salt Sesame Spread
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease a 9-inch tart pan or 9-inch pie plate. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl (I actually used a food processor), whisk together almond flour, cocoa powder, and salt until cocoa powder is fully incorporated and no clumps of flour remain. Using a spatula, fold chocolate tahini, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract into the flour. Mix until the flour is fully hydrated and a sandy dough forms.

If using a tart pan with a removable base, place on a sheet pan. Transfer the mixture to the tart pan or pie plate. Using your hands or the side of a measuring cup, press the mixture into the sides of the pan, forming about ¼-inch-thick sides. Using the base of the measuring cup, press the rest of the mixture into the base of the pan in an even layer. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

While the crust cools, prep the filling. Melt together the coconut milk, chocolate chips, and chocolate tahini using a bain-marie, stirring often, until completely smooth, about 10 minutes. Or use the microwave, heating in 30 second intervals, stirring in between. Mix in vanilla extract and salt.

Carefully pour the filling into the crust, smoothing it into an even layer, then gently tapping the pan on the counter, popping any air bubbles. Transfer to the fridge for 4 hours, or until the filling is completely set.

Sprinkle with flakey salt, slice, and serve with fresh fruit. Enjoy! (Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 1 week.)

Easy Taco Cups

 

I got this recipe from a little freebie calendar that came in the mail, and sadly the name of the publication is not written on this page (it’s April 2025). The recipe is easy to make, and we really liked it!

1 lb. ground beef or ground chicken
½ cup white onion, chopped
2/3 cup water
1 oz. packet taco seasoning (I used this recipe)
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 tsp. avocado or olive oil
18-24 wonton wraps (I used 42)
12 oz. lactose-free cheddar cheese, shredded (I used 1 handful of a Mexican blend, so WAY less!)
½ cup lactose-free sour cream

Cook the meat and onion in a large sauté pan for 4-5 minutes over medium heat or until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the fat from the beef.

Preheat the oven to 400 °F.

Add the taco seasoning and water to the sauté pan. Mix until combined. Simmer over medium heat for 6-7 minutes.

Add diced tomatoes. Mix until combined. Remove from the heat.

Add oil to the muffin tins with a pastry brush. Place a wonton wrapper in each muffin tin. (I had a total of 21 taco cups.)

Add 1-2 tablespoons of cheddar cheese to the wonton, then add another wonton wrapper on top. 

Add 1-2 tablespoons of the meat mixture to the wonton. Add 1-2 tablespoons of cheddar cheese to the wonton. Repeat until all the meat mixture is used. (I didn’t want to overfill them and ended up freezing some leftover meat.)

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and add sour cream. Serve with avocados or additional tomatoes, if desired.

Tartinade érable et cajou

 

Il s’agit ici d’une recette de Christelle Tanielian, publiée dans La Presse +. J’ai aimé ça, et ça change du beurre de pinottes le matin, mais les enfants préfèrent le Skippy Nature.

À noter qu’on peut réaliser son beurre de noix de cajou à la maison en faisant rôtir des noix de cajou pendant 10 minutes dans un four préchauffé à 300 °F et en mixant les noix au robot culinaire ou avec un bon mélangeur (comme un Vitamix) jusqu’à l’obtention d’un beurre lisse et homogène.

½ tasse de sirop d’érable
100 g (1/3 de tasse) de beurre de noix de cajou rôties (non salé)
½ c. à thé de sel de mer fin
¼ c. à thé d’extrait de vanille pure

Dans une petite casserole, à feu moyen, porter le sirop d’érable à ébullition.

Réduire le feu à doux et ajouter le reste des ingrédients. À l’aide d’un fouet, mélanger jusqu’à l’obtention d’un mélange lisse et homogène.

Verser dans un pot en verre stérilisé et conserver au réfrigérateur jusqu’à trois semaines.

Amener à température ambiante avant utilisation.

Biscuits pommes-bacon

 

Bon, je ne voulais pas laisser passer le temps des pommes sans vous parler de ces biscuits pommes et bacon. C’est à l’origine une recette de Jean-Piquant ; j’ai trouvé la vidéo hilarante, mais là il a fallu que je cherche la recette en version écrite tellement ça avait l’air bon. C’était censé faire des biscuits assez plats et croustillants, mais les miens s’étalaient trop et ne croustillaient pas. En fait, j’en avais 6 dans ma première fournée. J’ai donc ajouté une tasse de farine au reste de la pâte pour faire des biscuits moelleux plus épais, j »ai fait congeler la pâte pour qu’ils s’étalent encore moins, et j’en ai obtenu 15 autres. Je note ci-dessous ma quantité totale de farine, mais il en faudra un peu plus pour avoir tous vos biscuits comme les miens. Et oui, c’était vraiment bon!

2 pommes coupées en petits morceaux (avec ou sans la pelure)
2 c. à soupe de sirop d’érable
1 tasse de cassonade
½ tasse de sucre
½ tasse de beurre ramolli (ça c’est du beurre mou température pièce genre)
2 œufs
1 c. à thé d’extrait de vanille
2 ½ tasse de farine tout usage (voir note plus haut)
1 c. à thé de bicarbonate de soude
½ c. à thé de poudre à pâte
½ c. à thé de sel
100 g de cheddar fort (sans lactose) râpé
2-3 tranches de bacon cuites et épongées, coupées en morceaux

Préchauffer une poêle à feu moyen (j’ai pris la même que celle où j’avais fait cuire le bacon, sans la laver) et déposer les morceaux de pommes.

Cuire 1-2 minutes, et ajouter le sirop d’érable.

Continuer la cuisson 2-3 minutes, retirer de la poêle et réserver. Laisser tiédir.

Au batteur sur socle, fouetter la cassonade, le sucre et le beurre 2 minutes avant d’ajouter les œufs et la vanille.

Dans un grand bol, mélanger tous les ingrédients secs.

Incorporer le mélange sec au mélange humide jusqu’à obtention d’une pâte à biscuits homogène.

Ajouter les pommes, le fromage et le bacon. Bien mélanger.

Idéalement, recouvrir la pâte à biscuits et laisser au réfrigérateur 2-3 heures (donc moi ici je les ai mis au congélateur).

Préchauffer le four à 350 °F.

Sur une plaque à biscuits tapissée de papier parchemin, déposer des boules de pâte à biscuits d’environ ¼ de tasse. (Ne déposez pas vos boules trop près l’une de l’autre, les biscuits vont prendre de l’ampleur!)

Cuire au four 12-14 minutes (17 minutes pour moi après le congélateur) et laisser reposer 5-10 minutes avant de manger!

Vegan Tiramisu Pudding Cups

 

I made these vegan tiramisu pudding cups and really liked them! I got some very small servings, though, and I wouldn’t hesitate to double the recipe next time. What I would say is that you definitely need to soak the cashews overnight (not just boil them), so I am writing that below.

For the strong brewed coffee
1 Tbsp instant coffee
1 Tbsp hot water

For the pudding
1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight
1/3 cup canned full-fat coconut milk
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp strong brewed coffee (from the previous step
1 pinch sea salt

For the ganache
1/3 cup finely chopped vegan dark chocolate (I used 42 g)
1/3 cup canned full-fat coconut milk

Prepare the strong coffee by adding instant coffee and hot water to a mug and stirring until dissolved.

To a high-speed blender, add the soaked and drained cashews and other remaining ingredients for the pudding (coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla, strong brewed coffee, and salt). Blend until creamy and smooth. If needed, add more coconut milk 1 tablespoon at a time to encourage blending (I didn’t need it), but avoid adding too much — you want the pudding to be thick.

Divide the pudding between serving glasses (shallow, wide dessert glasses are best) – you will only be adding about 3 or 4 tablespoons per glass. It’s rich! Set in the refrigerator to chill.

Meanwhile, add the finely chopped dark chocolate to a medium mixing bowl. To a separate glass mixing bowl, add coconut milk and microwave until hot but not boiling (alternatively, heat in a saucepan on the stovetop until very hot). Pour the coconut milk directly over the chopped chocolate. Do not stir. Cover with a lid or a piece of aluminum foil to encourage it to melt. Let the chocolate sit, covered, for 5 minutes to melt.

After 5 minutes, uncover then whisk to combine. The mixture should be entirely melted and smooth. If it’s not, heat in the microwave in 20- to 30-second increments until it is entirely smooth and no chunks remain. (Alternatively, set your glass or ceramic mixing bowl over a double boiler on the stovetop to melt – that is my preferred method).

Remove the pudding glasses from the refrigerator and add a thin layer of ganache on top of each (about 1 tablespoon per glass), spreading with a spoon until smooth.

Transfer to the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes, until the pudding is chilled and the ganache is semi-firm to the touch. To chill faster, you can set in the freezer for 20-25 minutes. Optionally, make it even prettier by adding cocoa powder to a fine mesh strainer and shaking gently over the dishes to add a light dusting.

Enjoy chilled for best texture/flavor! Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.

Vanilla Funfetti Pancakes

I got this recipe from the blog Chez Catey Lou. The original recipe had a sort of garnish (hallway between a sauce and a frosting) made with Greek yogurt and honey, but I omitted it (my kids don’t like yogurt, and they can’t taste it in the pancakes, but there’s no way they would go for a topping!). Note that you can change the color of the sprinkles for the season (like pink and red for Valentine’s Day, red and green for Christmas, etc.). I didn’t have the sprinkles called for, but I made it work. This yields about 6 pancakes.

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ cup lactose-free Greek yogurt
½ cup lactose-free milk
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup sprinkles (the oblong/jimmy kind, not the tiny dot/non-pareil kind)

Preheat a griddle pan or large frying pan over medium low heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, egg, oil, and vanilla until well combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.

Divide the batter into two bowls and gently mix half the sprinkles into the first bowl. (This is so that the sprinkles don’t bleed too much into the batter, and honestly, I didn’t bother with this step – I just mixed all the sprinkles in all the batter.)

Lightly and carefully grease your pan.

Spoon the batter into four places on the griddle pan. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, until golden brown.

Flip and cook for 1 - 2 minutes on the other side. Remove pancakes to a wire rack.

Stir the rest of the sprinkles into the remaining batter, and repeat cooking process.

Chili à la courge

 

Ce n’est pas encore l’automne au Texas. En fait, on n’a pas vraiment d’automne au Texas ! Mais pour ceux et celles qui veulent un plat réconfortant, voici une idée de Coup de Pouce. (Ou plutôt, deux : je n’ai pas de photo à vous montrer, mais si vous mangez du porc, je recommande leur filet de porc à l’oignon rouge.) Là, je vous présente une recette végétalienne, un chili à la courge. Servi nature, c’est comme un ragoût, et je recommande de ne pas négliger les accompagnements (crème sure sans lactose, fromage râpé, avocat, coriandre, etc.).

5 tasses de bouillon de légumes à teneur réduite en sel (ou +, au goût)
1 ¾ tasse de protéine végétale texturée
3 c. à soupe d’huile d'olive
1 oignon ciselé
2 carottes, pelées, en petits dés
3 branches de céleris, en petits dés
2 gousses d’ail, hachées
3 c. à soupe d’assaisonnement au chili
1 ½ tasse de purée de citrouille
1 tasse de sauce tomate
1 ½ tasse de courge butternut, en petits cubes
1 boîte de haricot blanc, rincés et égouttés
sel et poivre
crème sure sans lactose et coriandre fraîche, pour garnir (facultatif)
croustilles de maïs, pour le service (facultatif)

Verser 2 tasses de bouillon dans un bol, puis ajouter la protéine végétale texturée. Laisser reposer 5 minutes. Égoutter et réserver. Dans une grande casserole, chauffer 1 c. à soupe d'huile à feu moyen-élevé. Faire revenir la PVT de 2 à 3 minutes, puis réserver dans une assiette.

Chauffer le reste de l'huile puis faire revenir l'oignon, les carottes, le céleri et l'ail 2 minutes. Ajouter l'assaisonnement au chili, le reste du bouillon, la purée de citrouille, la sauce tomate, la courge et les haricots. Saler et poivrer, puis mélanger.

Porter à ébullition, puis réduire le feu à moyen et cuire 13 minutes ou jusqu'à ce que les légumes soient tendres, en remuant régulièrement. Ajouter la PVT réservée, mélanger et chauffer 2 minutes de plus. Ajouter un peu de bouillon si nécessaire, au goût. Garnir de crème sure et de coriandre, puis servir avec des croustilles de maïs, si désiré.

Invisible Apple Cake

 

How do I explain this cake… or, really, sing its praises enough? The recipe came into my life from two sources simultaneously: Coup de Pouce (which had a half-dozen apple recipes in the fall of 2024, and the others I tried were not so great) and Smitten Kitchen (which never lets me down). Since the ingredients were ostensibly the same, but the amounts differed slightly and Smitten Kitchen had a proper weight of apples, I went with that one, and I am so glad I did!

The cake batter is very much like crêpe batter, the cake itself is not too sweet, and I cannot oversell it. You’ll want a variety of apples that tend to stay firm, like Granny Smith. Make sure that your pan is big enough – my loaf pan measures 9”x5” at the top and it was very full. If yours is smaller, bake some of the batter in greased muffin tins – as Deb Perelman says, it will not go to waste.

I want to mention also that I gave this recipe to my mother last fall after she went apple picking and was looking for a good recipe to use up some of that bounty. She complained while making it because placing the apple slices can be finicky, and once it was in the oven she was sort of thinking she wouldn’t make it again. But then she and my dad tasted it, and… it’s now a favorite. I don’t have access to apple orchards here in Texas, and it doesn’t feel like fall yet, but I’ll be sure to make it again this week!

2 ¼ to 2 ½ pounds (1 to 1.15kg) apples, such as Granny Smith or Mutsu
juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted lactose-free butter, melted
2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
½ cup lactose-free milk
2 tablespoons (40 grams) apricot preserves or apple jelly, warmed
powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 °F.

Coat the short ends of a loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray. Line the bottom and two long sides of the pan with a piece of parchment paper. Place the loaf pan on a rimmed baking sheet, just in case there’s overflow.

Peel and core your apples, then slice them very thinly (about 1/8-inch or 1/3-cm thick). A mandoline works great for this. Place apples in a large bowl and gently toss with lemon juice.

Melt butter in a medium bowl. Whisk in sugar and salt, then eggs and vanilla, until evenly incorporated. Whisk in flour until smooth, then milk. Pour batter over sliced apples, then stir and turn the apples a few times so that they’re evenly coated. This is much easier to do with your (clean) hands. Push about a dozen full slices to the side of the bowl for the final layer.

Arrange the remaining apple slices slightly overlapped around the prepared loaf pan, pushing the straight edges against the sides for the neatest appearance. (Once again, using your hands is easiest for this.) Use any smaller or broken apples to fill any center gap. By the time you’re down to just batter and a few scraps of apple, just pour it over and then use your hands to push the pieces around until it’s level. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any trapped air bubbles. Use the apple slices you pushed aside to decorate the top, fanning them into a flower pattern if you wish.

Bake the cake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out batter free and doesn’t feel like it’s spearing any raw/crunchy apples. Transfer to a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then brush top with warmed apricot preserves and let cool completely in the pan. The cake will be puffed at first and will settle flat as it cools.

Once cooled to room temperature, use a knife to loosen the cake from the short ends of the pan. Use the sling of parchment paper around the longer sides of the cake to help lift it out of the pan. Remove parchment paper and transfer to a serving plate. Cut into slices. Dust with powdered sugar, if using. (This cake keeps fantastically in the fridge for 5 to 6 days. Bring back to room temperature before serving.)

Salade d'hiver

 

J’ai beaucoup aimé cette salade d’hiver de Coup de Pouce! Du chou frisé et des pommes de terre grelots, c’était génial. Je l’ai servie avec une frittata.

Pour la salade
1 paquet de pommes de terre grelots de couleur
3 tasses de chou frisé (kale), tiges fibreuses enlevées, finement émincé (j’ai haché le mien)
3 oignons verts, émincés
1/3 tasse de pistaches écalées, concassées

Pour la vinaigrette
½ tasse d'huile d'olive (j’en ai pris 6 c. à soupe)
3 c. à soupe de vinaigre de vin rouge
2 c. à soupe de moutarde de Dijon
1 c. à soupe de miel
sel et poivre

Préparation de la salade
Déposer les pommes de terre grelots dans une grande casserole, puis recouvrir d'eau froide. Porter à ébullition, réduire le feu et laisser cuire pendant 12 minutes ou jusqu'à ce qu'on puisse percer les grelots à l'aide d'un couteau. Rincer les pommes de terre à l'eau froide, puis les couper en 2 ou en 4, selon leur taille. Les mettre dans un grand saladier et ajouter les autres ingrédients.

Préparation de la vinaigrette et assemblage
Mettre tous les ingrédients de la vinaigrette dans un récipient haut et étroit. Passer au pied-mélangeur jusqu'à consistance lisse. Verser sur la salade et bien mélanger (je n’ai pas utilisé toute la vinaigrette, il y en avait un peu trop).

Leek and Prosciutto Frittata

 

I got this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen’s book Paleo Perfected. I immediately changed it around: I used leftover bacon and salami instead of prosciutto, and melted butter instead of ghee (which I find too funky). This was really good! I served it with a winter salad.

12 large eggs
2 Tbsp. water
kosher salt and pepper
4 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh basil or parsley
3 Tbsp. ghee (I used melted butter)
1 lb. leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced, and washed thoroughly

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position, about 6 inches from heating element; heat broiler. Whisk eggs, water, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in medium bowl until thoroughly combined and mixture is pure yellow; do not overbeat. Stir in prosciutto and basil.

Melt ghee in 10-inch nonstick ovensafe nonstick skillet over low heat until foaming subsides. Add leeks and ½ teaspoon salt; cook covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add egg mixture to skillet and, using a heat-resistant rubber spatula, constantly and firmly scrape along bottom and sides of skillet until large curds form and spatula leaves a trail on bottom of skillet but eggs are still very wet, about 2 minutes. Shake skillet to distribute eggs evenly and continue to cook, without stirring, for 30 seconds to let bottom set.

Transfer skillet to oven and broil until frittata has risen and surface is puffed and spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes; when cut into with paring knife, eggs should be slightly wet and runny.

Remove skillet from oven and let stand 5 minutes to finish cooking; using spatula, carefully loosen frittata from skillet and slide onto platter or cutting board. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

 

I found a recipe for banana cupcakes with chocolate frosting and couldn’t resist! These were really good, but I would make the frosting differently next time. I used 200 grams of cocoa, but that was too much – I ended up using 1 tablespoon of lactose-free milk to thin it a bit. I would try 150 grams of cocoa next time. That being said, the Little Prince said that he enjoyed the leftover frosting more than chocolate hummus! I got a total of 17 cupcakes.

For the cupcakes
1 banana
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup water
3 eggs

For the frosting
2 bananas
2 cups cocoa powder, sifted (see note above)
½ cup honey
½ tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Prepare a 12-cup muffins tray by greasing the cups or lining them with paper. (Note that I had 17 cupcakes in total.)

In a large bowl, mash a banana until it reaches a liquid state. Mix in the remaining cake ingredients.

Pour the mix into the prepared muffin tray. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

To prepare the frosting, mash 2 bananas until they reach a liquid state. Mix in cocoa powder, honey, vanilla, and salt.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, frost them as you wish.

Dark Chocolate, Nut, and Banana Shake

 

This recipe is from chef Michael Moore (not *that* Michael Moore), and I think it’s from a cookbook called Blood Sugar. It was a really nice change from my normal breakfast, and look how beautiful it is when you bother with the melted chocolate! This makes 2 servings.

2 oz. (60 g) dark chocolate
1 tsp. agave nectar
1 Tbsp. cocoa
2 cups lactose-free milk (or almond milk)
1 large ripe banana
1 Tbsp. honey
½ cup lactose-free yogurt
½ cup silken tofu
2 Tbsp. ground almonds
2 Tbsp. lactose-free protein powder (vanilla or chocolate)
1 cup ice (I omitted that)

In a small bowl, melt the chocolate and agave in the microwave for about 20 seconds, then set aside.

Combine the cocoa with a little of the milk to make a paste, then mix it with all the remaining ingredients. Place mixture into a blender (or a large jug) and blend until smooth.

 

Spoon a little melted chocolate into your serving glasses. Use the back of a spoon to spread it around the inside of the glass.

Pour the thick shake over and serve with a little grated chocolate (or cocoa powder) on top.

Kugel

 

This is the famous kugel from Smitten Kitchen, where Deb Perelman jokes that her mother married her father to get his family recipe. The Engineer and I really liked it, but our kids did not (to be fair, I think they just don’t like kugel in general, and it was nothing against this kugel in particular).

1 pound wide egg noodles
8 eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
2 pounds full-fat lactose-free cottage cheese, creamed or large curd
1 ½ sticks sticks melted unsalted lactose-free butter or margarine
2 teaspoons vanilla
dash of salt
optional: 2 cups canned cherry pie filling (Comstock is specified)

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Parboil the noodles (five to seven minutes).

In a very large bowl, beat eggs until fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, then the cottage cheese, butter, and vanilla. Stir in the drained noodles.

Pour into a 9×13-inch pan. Bake for 1 ½ hours, or until kugel is set (my oven runs hot, and mine was done after 1 hour; Deb Perelman specifies that her oven runs cold and takes almost 2 hours). If using the cherry pie filling as a topping, pour it over at the one-hour mark, then bake it for an additional 30 minutes.

Thin-Crust Pizza

 

Here’s a quick pizza recipe, where the thin crust doesn’t need to rise. This makes two small pizzas, and you can top them as you wish! It was a very satisfying meal that was quick to prepare.

For the dough
¾ cup lukewarm water
1 tsp. active dry yeast
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
¾ tsp. salt
2 tsp. olive oil, divided

For the toppings
½ cup pizza sauce, such as classic red sauce or a white sauce
1 to 2 cups shredded lactose-free cheese: one or a combination of mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, fontina, romano, or asiago cheese
Topping options: sautéed onions or mushrooms, sliced red peppers, pepperoni, cooked sausage, cooked bacon, etc.

Arrange a rack in the bottom third of the oven, place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 450 °F. Meanwhile, make the dough.

Pour ¾ cup lukewarm water into a medium bowl. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon active dry yeast over the water, and let stand until the yeast is dissolved and foamy, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups all-purpose flour and ¾ teaspoon salt. Mix with a stiff spatula or wooden spoon until floury, shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead until it forms a smooth, slightly tacky ball that springs back when you poke it, 5 to 8 minutes. If the dough sticks to your hands like bubblegum, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it’s easier to work with; avoid adding too much flour if possible.

Cover the dough with the upside-down bowl or a clean kitchen towel and let sit while you prepare the pizza toppings, about 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Working with one piece of dough at a time, stretch or roll it into a thin, 10- to 12-inch round. Form from the middle of the dough outwards, using the heel of your hand to gently press and stretch the dough until it's about a ¼-inch thick or less. For an extra-thin crust, roll it with a rolling pin. If the dough starts to shrink back, let it rest for 5 minutes and then try rolling again.

Carefully remove the preheated baking sheet from the oven and place it upside down on a wire rack. Transfer the dough directly onto the upside-down baking sheet. Brush the dough with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Spread ¼ cup sauce into a thin layer onto dough, leaving a ½-inch border. Sprinkle on the cheese and other toppings.

Bake until the crust is golden-brown and the cheese is melted and browned in spots, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven and cool for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.

Tarte aux œufs et à la muscade

 

Voici une tarte aux œufs et à la muscade très simple de Ricardo. J’ai beaucoup aimé ça! Mon seul commentaire serait de recouvrir la croûte de papier d’aluminium ou d’un cercle de silicone, pour qu’elle ne brunisse pas trop, alors je rajoute ça dans les instructions. Bien sûr, la tarte sera un peu gonflée en sortant du four et va s’aplatir par la suite – c’est normal!

Pour la croûte
170 g (1 tasse et 2 c. à soupe) de farine tout usage non blanchie
1 pincée de sel
85 g (6 c. à soupe) de beurre sans lactose, froid et coupé en dés
3 c. à soupe d'eau glacée, environ

Pour la garniture
4 œufs
½ tasse de sucre
1 tasse de lait sans lactose
noix de muscade râpée ou muscade moulue, au goût


Pour la croûte
Au robot culinaire, mélanger la farine et le sel. Ajouter le beurre et mélanger quelques secondes à la fois jusqu’à ce que le beurre ait la grosseur de petits pois. Ajouter l’eau et mélanger de nouveau jusqu’à ce que la pâte commence tout juste à se former. Ajouter de l’eau au besoin. Retirer la pâte du robot et former un disque avec les mains. Envelopper de pellicule plastique et réfrigérer 30 minutes.

Placer une grille au centre et une grille dans le bas du four. Préchauffer le four à 425 °F. Sur un plan de travail fariné, abaisser la pâte à environ 3 mm (1/8 po) d’épaisseur. Foncer un moule à tarte en verre de 23 cm (9 po) de diamètre. Retirer l’excédent de pâte et festonner la bordure.

Pour la garniture
Casser un œuf et séparer le blanc du jaune. Réserver le jaune d’œuf dans un grand bol. Placer le blanc d’œuf dans l’abaisse. À l’aide d’un pinceau, badigeonner du blanc d’œuf toute la surface de la croûte. Jeter l’excédent.

Dans le bol avec le jaune, ajouter les œufs et le sucre. À l’aide d’un fouet, mélanger vigoureusement jusqu’à ce que le mélange blanchisse. Incorporer le lait en remuant. Verser dans l’abaisse. Râper ou saupoudrer la muscade sur le mélange d’œufs. Placer du papier d’aluminium sur la bordure de la croûte, pour éviter qu’elle brunisse trop.

Cuire dans le bas du four 15 minutes. Déplacer la tarte au centre du four et poursuivre la cuisson 12 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que le flan soit très peu tremblotant et que le dessus de la tarte soit légèrement doré. Laisser refroidir sur une grille, soit environ 2 heures. La tarte se conserve 3 jours au réfrigérateur. Laisser tempérer 1 heure avant de servir.

Spicy Tuna Avocado Wrap

 

Here’s a lunch idea that my kids actually liked: spicy tuna avocado wraps. For the vegetables in the wrap, I used grated carrots and lettuce because that’s pretty much the only ones the Fox would eat, but for myself, I would add strips of red bell pepper and cucumber too!

I am still looking for the perfect way to pack wraps and tacos in the lunchbox. This held together with toothpicks, though now I often use wax paper. I am open to suggestions!

2 (5-oz) cans albacore tuna, drained
1 avocado
2 Tbsp. sriracha
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 to 3 Tbsp. celery, finely chopped
2 Tbsp red onion, finely chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
2 heaping cups leafy green lettuce
1 cup raw veggies thinly sliced into matchsticks (cucumber, red bell pepper and carrots)
4 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas

In a small bowl, mash together the tuna and avocado, until combined. Stir in the sriracha, Dijon mustard, celery, red onion, green onions, cilantro and salt and pepper, mixing well.

To assemble the wraps, top each tortilla with leafy greens, sliced veggies and divide the spicy tuna mixture evenly among the wraps. Tightly roll up the tortillas. Slice and enjoy!