My 100th post!

Today is my 100th post! To celebrate what is a bit of a milestone in my blogging life, I’m taking a look back at my favourite 10 recipes!

I started this blog on August 1st (my birthday) last year, and so far it has been an incredible adventure. It’s been constant learning, discovering all kinds of beautiful blogs and meeting some really inspirational people. It’s been a magnificent creative outlet and, as I discovered what I wanted the blog to be, I’ve changed it’s name and look, and have learned heaps, not only about computing (something that oddly I hadn’t really anticipated being interested in), but also about my self and what I’m capable of. It’s been really empowering and up lifting, and has truly lead me to lead a life more fulfilled.

Looking back over the past 100 posts, it was tricky to try and whittle it down to favourites -especially as my natural inclination was to choose all of the chocolate or bread ones. But when I really thought about it there were, for various reasons, some natural standouts. 

So here they are!

My 10 favourite recipes to date:

10. Spelt scones and cranberry clementine curd :

I love scones and I love curd, but embarking on this whole, unprocessed food adventure I kind of thought that the traditionally butter and processed flour filled scones and sugar laden curd would be off the menu. So discovering that not only can you make both scones and curd using whole and unprocessed ingredients (both the scones and the curd use coconut oil in place of butter and are honey sweetened), but they also taste as good if not better, than their classic versions. I see a lot of curd experimentation in my future, and what better to slather it on that beautiful, warm scones.

9. Apricot frangipane tart:

I have a bit of a thing for working veggies into the least expected places, especially in baking, and this re-think of frangipane to include parsnip was my finest hour. This tart has all of the almond-y flavour and sweet moistness of a traditional frangipane tart, but is gluten and processed sugar free, and uses the unexpected root veg in place of butter. This was also the recipe that saw me come up with a healthier, date-sweetened version of shortcrust pastry that I have since used endlessly. In addition to all that, the tart is also really impressive looking, and not one person that I’ve served it to has suspected that it’s not just normal frangipane! Stealthy!

8. Yam chocolate chip cookies:

These cookies made the list because… well… they’re chocolate chip cookies. I think that the taste and texture of these cookies would rival any conventional chocolate chip cookie, but this version is loaded with nutrition from the yams, ground almond and whole grain spelt flour, are vegan and are sweetened with maple syrup instead of refined sugar. As a total cookie fiend, I am quite proud of this one!

7.Buttermilk Asparagus Quiche:

Quiche has long been a firm favourite in our house, and this creamy tangy and healthy version is my favourite filling in a favourite dish. Again it uses an oat based gluten free crust so you can have a healthy version of a crumbly pastry crust.

6. Creole peanut soup:

I love this soup a lot. It’s healthy, creamy, spicy and nourishing, and for me takes me back to some very happy memories in Magnolia’s Grill, a magnificent restaurant in the beautiful town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, a place very, very close to my heart. This soup was my attempt to recreate this iconic Magnolia’s recipe, and until I can next get back there in person to have it at the source, this recipe takes me back there in my heart.

5. Pesto and feta twisty bread:

It is no secret that bread makes me very, very happy. I love eating bread I love the smell of bread baking, and making bread is my meditative-zen-happy-place which fills me with lovely feelings. Within bread making, I am completely in love with spelt. This ancient ancestor to wheat is nutritious and the flavour is pure heaven. So for number 5 this super cool looking spelt loaf with kale pesto and feta twisted into it was an obvious choice!

4. Rice Pudding:

Before coming to Shetland I had never really had rice pudding, but once I tried it I couldn’t get enough. Then once I discovered how easy it is to make your own, whole grain, date sweetened version, well, there was no looking back. For me this is the ultimate comfort food and one of my most regular of regulars.

3. West Indian curry with flat breads:

This recipe is another of those real favourites because of the magnificent memories that it evokes. For me this dish is sailing the Atlantic and warm Caribbean evenings. It is sunshine in a flatbread.

2. Rye and buckwheat granola:

At number two is the beautiful whole grain dish that revolutionized my breakfasts. Using different grains to make your own granola is a really magnificent way to include a variety of whole grain nutrition into your diet, and with some fruit and a dollop of yogurt, it starts my day in a truly joyous, nourishing, and delicious way.

Drum roll please…..

1. Chocolate zucchini rye cake:

This is it; my number one favourite recipe of my first hundred, and there really was only one contender, chocolate zucchini rye cake. This cake is the recipe which I am unashamedly proud of. It was my very finest moment to date. That a cake made from rye flour with zucchini, sweetened with maple syrup, and topped with rich chocolate icing made from cashews could be this rich, decadent, and entirely satisfying to even the most devout chocoholic (I count myself among them)was a revelation. It is the culmination of my posts, and really represents everything I’m trying to achieve with the blog. It is bliss.

So there we have it, the top of the top of my first 100.

I can’t wait to see where the next 100 will lead me, and am beyond grateful to each person who takes the time to visit me here at Roots & Wren. I am so honored, and with all my heart, thank you.