holiday superstore cooking classes

What a whirlwind of a December it has been. I've been fortunate to teach a few cooking classes during this very busy month; two classes, in fact, as part of the "What's for Dinner" program with Loblaws-Real Canadian Superstore.

Holiday-themed recipes were part of the agenda for these two classes. With the colder weather, I like to re-introduce some more heartier, warm dishes to my diet, some of which I shared with each group. Check out these nourishing recipes:

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Grapes, Thyme, and Walnuts
Yields 8 servings

4-6 cups Brussels sprouts, halved or quartered if large
4 cups grapes (preferably red variety)
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
a few sprigs of fresh thyme, de-stemmed
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped coarsely
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Using two rimmed baking sheets, toss the Brussels sprouts and grapes with the oil and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until caramelized and tender, about 20 minutes (if roasting on a lower heat, 350-375, extend cooking time to 40-45 minutes). Remove from the oven and drizzle each tray with 1 tsp of the balsamic vinegar. Toss in the walnuts and serve.

Whipped Chocolate Mousse
Yields 6-8 large servings

3 ripe avocados
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa or raw cacao powder
1 cup mashed fresh or frozen thawed berries
¼ cup maple syrup + 1 tbsp to taste
16 soaked dates

Peel avocados, removing skins and pits. Place the avocado flesh in a food processor. Add in the cocoa/cacao powder, maple syrup, and dates. Using an ‘s’ blade, process until mixture reaches a very smooth consistency. Top with berries (fresh or frozen) and serve alone or as an accompaniment to another dessert.

Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Yields nine 3” cookies or 12 1” cookies
Inspired by My New Roots

1 ½ cups black beans, very soft (or one 15 oz. can of organic black beans)
2 tbsp. melted coconut oil
1/3 cup organic fair-trade cocoa powder
1/4 tsp sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup chopped dark organic chocolate
1/4 cup chopped dried cherries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or oil the baking sheet with 1-2 tsp coconut oil.

Mix the ground flax seeds, maple syrup, and vanilla in a bowl and set aside for a few minutes (the flax will ‘swell’ in the liquid mixture).

Place the drained and well-rinsed beans, coconut oil, cocoa, salt and cayenne in a food processor and blend until well combined. Add maple syrup and ground flax seeds and pulse to incorporate. Remove the blade from the food processor and add fold in the chopped dark chocolate and dried cherries.

Spoon cookie batter onto a lined baking sheet. Using the back of the spoon, flatten top of cookies slightly, as they will not spread when baking. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are browning. Cool and eat. Will keep in the fridge for several days.

With these classes, you never know how many people will show up: we had a smaller class in Mississauga (6) and a much larger class in St. Catharines (30). Every day is different, isn't it folks? Either way, both classes were full of enthusiasm and great energy, which made teaching the classes all the more fun and worthwhile. Always a pleasure!