Sweet Potato Pecan Cookies

This is the season for all things orange, and lately my seasonal ingredients have incorporated that warm and wonderful color. Butternut squash went into a savory soup and pumpkin got tossed into a stick-to-your ribs fried rice. But for the next installment I bring you something sweet from the oven: tender pecan cookies made with sweet potato. Let baking season begin! These healthier treats make an ideal grab-and-go breakfast for cookie lovers like me. Inspired by … Continue reading Sweet Potato Pecan Cookies

aiming4simpleNovember 2015November 20158 Comments

gluten free, paleo, recipes

Ultimate Garlic and Onion Meatballs

Faster than meatloaf, meatballs are a fantastic make ahead meal option. Loading them with garlic and onion before baking gives results comparable to frying them on the stove top. Baked meatballs are much easier and less crumbly than meatballs cooked and turned over and over in the pan. I like to bake double or even triple batches and freeze the cooked meatballs. Then I have … Continue reading Ultimate Garlic and Onion Meatballs

aiming4simpleSeptember 2015September 20153 Comments

gluten free, paleo, recipes, sweet, vegan

Cherry Coconut Pudding Popsicles

While I love strawberry season, the deeper flavour of cherries should not be missed. Now that summer is officially here, cherries are in season at last! And when cherries meet coconut, it’s a storybook match. How I did I discover this? The neighbourhood bakery of my childhood made some of the most amazing cherry coconut bars I have ever tasted. They were my mom’s favourite. … Continue reading Cherry Coconut Pudding Popsicles

aiming4simpleJuly 2015July 201511 Comments

Melon Rind Soup with Ginger and Star Anise | Swirls and Spice

gluten free, paleo, recipes, vegan

Watermelon Rind Soup with Ginger and Star Anise

Watermelon rind takes an unexpected starring role in this savoury soup that revels in an aromatic yet light Chinese-style broth. Wasting food really irks me. But it was not until a number of years back that I had any idea that watermelon rinds could be made useful. It was when my late grandmother mentioned making pickles out of them. That notion stuck with me years … Continue reading Watermelon Rind Soup with Ginger and Star Anise

aiming4simpleJune 2015June 20158 Comments

gluten free, paleo, recipes, sweet, vegan

Cherry Watermelon Popsicles

All fruit, totally refreshing cherry and watermelon blend together in these popsicles. Frosty fruit treats take the edge off summer’s heat in a most delicious way. Bring on the sunshine–so long as we have our freezer stocked with naturally sweet popsicles. I really would rather steer clear artificially coloured sugar water, which somehow becomes popular once it is frozen. Real fruit tastes so much better. … Continue reading Cherry Watermelon Popsicles

aiming4simpleMay 2015June 201547 Comments

10 Summer Salads | Swirls and Spice #glutenfree

gluten free, paleo, vegan

10 Crowd-Pleasing Salads to Kick Off Summer

It’s salad season! Picnics, barbecues, and al fresco meals are great opportunities to create something fresh and inviting. We just returned from a weekend away at family camp where I was blessed to have someone else take care of all our family’s meals for a few days. The food at camp was made well too. Feta cheese even made an appearance in the pasta salad, which is quite a … Continue reading 10 Crowd-Pleasing Salads to Kick Off Summer

aiming4simpleMay 2015May 20159 Comments