Savory Rosette Brunch Tart with Polenta Crust | Swirls and Spice

Savory Rosette Brunch Tart with Polenta Crust

Twirl up some veggies (and bacon if you like) to make rosettes that add to a lovely brunch experience with this savory egg tart.  The polenta crust can even be gluten free if you select the proper cornmeal. Flowers make food prettier, do they not? Recently I’ve enjoyed seeing the many ways that flowers can garnish a springtime dish.  If you like floral garnishes too, don’t miss my … Continue reading Savory Rosette Brunch Tart with Polenta Crust

Flourless Mango Mini Muffin + Donuts | Swirls and Spice

Flourless Mango Mini Muffins and Donuts

The surprising thing about these flourless mini muffins (and donuts) is that they actually taste better the next day.  Is that hard to believe?  Then you had better verify my statement. What happens is that the moisture levels even out, resulting in a surface layer that is moist enough so that ginger-sugar coating clings beautifully.  Just be sure to dip them in the sugar coating shortly … Continue reading Flourless Mango Mini Muffins and Donuts

Cashew Celery Salad | Swirls and Spice

Cashew Celery Salad

Celery stalks, with the help of a chef’s knife, transform into a celebration of vegetables and crunchy cashews accented with a light sesame dressing. Though I don’t come from a tradition that celebrates Fat Tuesday, I thought it would be educational to try some sweet pàczki for dessert on Tuesday night.  I picked up a box of six pàczki at the local supermarket, and the sheer size of each … Continue reading Cashew Celery Salad

Chocolate Raspberry Crepe Cake

Layers of chocolate crêpes and raspberry whipped cream make a rich and airy dessert that is perfect for sharing and celebrating.  Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, followed by Pancake Tuesday, so get your crêpe pan out and enjoy tucking into this sweet-but-not-too-sweet delight of a cake. Do you eat crêpes often?  My kids absolutely love them, and every once in a while I will … Continue reading Chocolate Raspberry Crepe Cake

Vietnamese Sour Soup with Shrimp & Pineapple | Swirls and Spice

Vietnamese Shrimp and Pineapple Sour Soup

One doesn’t usually associate pineapple with soup, but in southern Vietnam, Canh Chua is a popular soup that incorporates fish or shrimp.  I associate it with winding bus trips down the mountains through the towns on the way to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).  It’s been more than a decade since I’ve had it, but with the healthy recipe challenge to use pineapple and greens, I … Continue reading Vietnamese Shrimp and Pineapple Sour Soup

Orange Oat Muffins | Swirls and Spice #glutenfree

Gluten Free Orange Oat Muffins

Waking up to warm homemade muffins makes a chilly winter morning doable. I like a hearty bowl of oatmeal sometimes, but it doesn’t have quite the allure that a tender muffin does.  And these muffins are brimming with a bright orange flavor that complements the oats within them. Rising before dawn is not what anyone in my household likes to do, but after a leisurely winter break, that’s … Continue reading Gluten Free Orange Oat Muffins