Pumpkin Fried Rice with Ginger | Swirls and Spice

Pumpkin Fried Rice with Ginger

Golden ginger lends a touch of zing to rice grains and slices of tender pumpkin. Simply toss together a handful of seasonal ingredients to create this fresh take on fried rice. I’ve done quite a bit of experimenting with cranberry recipes in my kitchen, but when it comes to pumpkin, I usually pick plain and simple pumpkin pie over anything else.  Until this month I had posted just … Continue reading Pumpkin Fried Rice with Ginger

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

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

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

Banana Coconut Spice Cookies with Turmeric

Just four simple ingredients and “bam!”–you’ve got cookies!  Coconut and banana need no other sweetener, so these flourless cookies are impossibly healthy too! When I want to make cookies both delicious and healthy, I usually turn to sweet potatoes.  My Cocoa Nut Breakfast Cookies and Healthier Samoa Coconut Cookies are proof of this trend.  But sometimes I would rather skip shredding or cooking sweet potatoes.  … Continue reading Banana Coconut Spice Cookies with Turmeric

Wild Rice Waffles with Pecans (GF) | Swirls and Spice

Wild Rice Waffles with Pecans (GF)

The prospect of wild rice, maple syrup, and rhubarb together on a plate enticed me to get my waffle iron out again.  The resulting crisp, nutty waffles tasted wonderful on their own, but adding cherry-rhubarb maple syrup was a perfect complement to the waffles.  Complex and hefty enough to be a stand-alone meal, I didn’t even miss having bacon. Never have I tasted a heartier … Continue reading Wild Rice Waffles with Pecans (GF)

Triple Layer Pina Colada Rice Pudding | Swirls and Spice

Triple Layer Pina Colada Rice Pudding

Sweet side dish or dessert? Normally rice pudding can be both. With its layers of pineapple and fluffy meringue, this one is definitely angling for the dessert table at your next potluck or family gathering. Rice pudding is versatility in edible form.  As a sweet side or a comforting dessert, it complements almost any type of spice palette, from Mexican to Indian to Scandanavian dishes.  … Continue reading Triple Layer Pina Colada Rice Pudding