COPYRIGHT SWEET PEAS & SAFFRON {2015} Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 1

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1 COPYRIGHT SWEET PEAS & SAFFRON {2015} Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 1

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction...3 Lemon Meringue Pie Bites....4 Slow Cooker Sweet Potato & Chicken Korma..5 Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream. 6 Crispy Oven-Baked Parmesan Green Bean Fries... 8 Thai Curry Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup...9 Extra Fluffy Blueberry-Almond Pancakes..10 Kale, Barley and Feta Salad with a Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette...11 Smoky Sweet Potato Hummus. 12 Apple, Pear and Pomegranate Sangria..13 Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Stew. 14 Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 2

3 INTRODUCTION Hello! I am Denise, the cook-photographer-writerdishwasher behind the food blog Sweet Peas & Saffron. I love to experiment with recipes in my bright orange kitchen, and share them with you on my blog! My focus is on (mostly) healthy recipes, but I also have a major sweet tooth, and love a good cookie or brownie or cheesecake. I am a busy mom of a one-year old, and am also going to graduate school, so my focus is 100% on fast and easy recipes. course) desserts! I have assembled my top ten most popular recipes as of March 2015, and was happy to see such a diverse collection of recipes, completely representative of the type of recipe you will see on Sweet Peas & Saffron. Soups, slow cooker recipes, salads, healthy snacks, and (of Thanks for subscribing to Sweet Peas & Saffron newsletters, and I hope you enjoy these recipes! Denise Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 3

4 Lemon Meringue Pie Bites Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 1 hour 35 mins Total time: 2 hours 5 mins Serves: These two-bite lemon meringue pie bites are the best way to celebrate summer! Meringue nests are filled with lemon curd in this lighter and miniature version of the pie. Meringue Nests 4 egg whites {from large eggs; at room temperature} ½ tsp cream of tartar 1 cup granulated sugar Lemon Meringue Pie Bites 2 cups of lemon curd {see below for recipe recommendation} Meringue Nests 1. Pre-heat oven to 300 F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or baking mats, set aside. 2. In a clean, dry stand mixer bowl, beat eggs on high until they become frothy and form soft peaks {that slowly sink back into the bowl; takes around one minute}. 3. Add the cream of tartar, then begin adding the sugar by the tablespoon, while continuing to beat on high. Go slowly; this part may take 5-10 minutes of continuous beating/adding sugar. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to get all sugar. 4. When mixture has formed stiff peaks {see photo of stand whisk above if you are wondering what a stiff peak looks like}, fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton number 21 tip. 5. Going slowly, pipe a 3-5 cm circle on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Without lifting the tip, do the second and third layers around the outside of the circle, forming a mini nest. 6. Bake for 20 minutes at 300 F, reduce the temperature to 250 F and continue baking another 15 minutes. Turn oven off, open oven door slightly, and allow to cool for one hour in the oven. Lemon Meringue Pie Bites 1. Spoon lemon curd into the 'nest' and serve immediately. 2. Nests and lemon curd can be stored separately for several days. Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 4

5 Slow Cooker Sweet Potato & Chicken Korma Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 3 hours Total time: 3 hours 20 mins Serves: 4 Chicken and sweet potato are slow cooked in a creamy, delicious coconut milk and coriander sauce. Easy enough for a week-night dinner. 3 tsp ground coriander 3 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp tumeric 1 tsp chili powder 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp salt 4 or so tsp water {to make a paste} 2 tbsp olive oil 2 medium onions, sliced 1 tsp granulated sugar 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 can {14oz, 400mL} coconut milk {not light} 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 2 medium yams, cut into 1½ inch cubes {peeled if desired} Just prior to serving: 2 tsp garam masala 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp ground almonds 1. Prepare spice mixture: combine ground coriander, cumin, tumeric, chili powder, paprika and salt in a small bowl. Add enough water to form a paste, around 4 tsp. Set aside. 2. Heat oil in a small pan over medium-low heat. Add onions and sugar, sautee {stirring constantly} until lightly golden, around 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for a minute. Add the spice mixture and cook for 2 minutes, until toasted. 3. Combine onion-garlic-spice mixture in a blender with coconut milk. Blend until onion pureed, then toss into the slow cooker. 4. Add chicken and sweet potato; toss to coat. 5. Cook on low for 3-4 hours 6. Just before serving, stir in the garam masala, lemon juice and ground almonds. 7. Serve with rice and naan bread. Avoid light coconut milk, it runs the risk of curdling in the slow cooker. Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 5

6 Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream Prep time: 25 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 45 mins Serves: 12 Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes 5 egg whites (from medium eggs; at room temperature) pinch salt (large pinch) ¾ teaspoons cream of tartar ⅓ cup granulated sugar (67g) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup cake flour (50g, *fluffed, spooned & leveled*) ½ cup granulated sugar (100g) 1 tablespoon lemon zest (loosely packed) Raspberry Buttercream 1 cup unsalted butter (226g; at room temperature) 3 cups powdered sugar (360g) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup raspberries (at room temperature) Lemon Angel Food Cupcakes 1. Pre heat oven to 350 F. 2. In a small bowl, combine flour, ½ cup sugar and lemon zest. Set aside. 3. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, beat egg whites on medium high for around 2 minutes, until they are frothy and have loose peaks (will stand for a second and then sink back into the eggs). 4. Add a pinch of salt and cream of tartar, continue to beat on medium-high for 3-5 more minutes until stiff peaks form (won't sink back into eggs). 5. At this point, continue beating on medium speed and gradually add the ⅓ cup portion of granulated sugar *by the tablespoon* over a period of 3-5 more minutes. Stop and scrape the sugar/eggs down from the bowl every few minutes. 6. Once sugar has dissolved completely (check by running meringue between your fingers, if no grains remain, you are done), fold in the vanilla extract followed by the flour/sugar/lemon zest mixture (best to do this in several batches, and *be gentle*) 7. Spoon mixture into muffin pan lined with muffin papers. The batter will stick out of the top of the muffin papers but it won't overflow while baking. Bake at 350 F for minutes, until tops become golden brown. Set aside to cool. Raspberry Buttercream Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 6

7 1. Using a mesh strainer and a spoon, mash raspberries against strainer until only seeds remain, collecting raspberry juice below in a bowl. Discard solids and set raspberry juice aside. 2. Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the butter on medium high until light and fluffy. Beat in the powdered sugar, starting on low and increasing speed to medium once sugar begins to become incorporated. Beat for 2 or so minutes until all sugar and butter are well combined. 3. Beat in vanilla and raspberry juice. *your buttercream may look broken but it needs to be beaten for several minutes to completely incorporate the raspberries* 4. Beat on medium-high for one minute; scrape sides of bowl with spatula and repeat for 5 or more minutes until the color of buttercream is uniformly pink and smooth. 5. Using an icing bag fitted with the tip of your choice (mine was the wilton 1M), frost your cupcakes! Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 7

8 Crispy Oven-Baked Parmesan Green Bean Fries Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 12 mins Total time: 32 mins Serves: 4 400g fresh green beans, washed and ends trimmed ½ cup flour 2 eggs, beaten Panko Mixture 1 cup Panko {Japanese seasoned bread crumbs} ½ cup Parmesan cheese {loosely packed} ¾ tsp garlic salt fresh ground pepper {around 20 grinds, ¼ tsp or so} 1. Pre-heat oven to 425 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside. 2. Place flour, eggs, and Panko mixture in three separate shallow bowls. 3. Dredge beans in flour, then eggs, then Panko mixture. 4. Place on baking sheet. Bake for minutes, until golden and crispy. 5. Serve immediately Make sure to use crunchy beans, if they taste stringy and chewy to start with, they will probably not crisp up in the oven. Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 8

9 Thai Curry Sweet Potato & Lentil Soup Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 35 mins Total time: 50 mins Serves: 4-6 This comforting soup is also so good for you! Packed with sweet potatoes, lentils and carrots, spiced with curry paste, fish sauce and lime juice, and finished off with creamy coconut milk, this soup comes together quickly! 1 tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, sliced 1 tbsp ginger, peeled & diced into small pieces 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste {I like this brand} 1 medium sweet potato {500g}, peeled and diced into ½ inch cubes 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced 3 cups stock {veggie or chicken} ¾ cup dried red lentils 1 tbsp fish sauce 1 tbsp lime juice After simmering: 1 can light coconut milk {400mL} ¼ tsp salt {or more; to taste} 1 tsp lime juice 1 tsp fish sauce 1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. 2. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and cooked through. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for a minute. 3. Add the curry paste and cook until onions/garlic/ginger are coated and you can smell the curry paste, 30 seconds-1minute. 4. Add the sweet potato, carrots, stock, lentils, fish sauce and lime juice. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, until lentils and sweet potato are cooked through. 5. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth and creamy. Stir in the coconut milk. Add salt and additional lime juice and fish sauce to taste. Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 9

10 Extra Fluffy Blueberry Almond Pancakes Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 25 mins Serves: 2 These pancakes are extra thick & fluffy with the addition of Greek yogurt, and are full of fresh blueberries, slivered almonds, and lemon zest. 1 cup all purpose flour ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda 2 tbsp ground almonds 2 tbsp granulated sugar 1 tsp lemon zest ¾ cup Greek yogurt 6 tbsp almond milk, or any milk {see note} 1 egg ½ tsp almond extract ¼ cup slivered almonds 1 cup fresh blueberries 1. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground almonds, sugar, and lemon zest. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt and milk. Add egg and almond extract and mix until smooth. 3. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Fold in slivered almonds and blueberries. 4. Heat a frying pan over medium heat; spray with oil. Cook ¼ cup pancake portions for 2 minutes on the first side (or until edges have set and bottom is golden). Flip and cook for 1 minute on the other side (or until golden and cooked through) Batter will be quite thick...you will need to flatten pancakes slightly with the back of a spoon. If batter is too thick, add more milk one tablespoon at a time. Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 10

11 Kale, Barley and Feta Salad with a Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 50 mins Total time: 1 hour 10 mins Serves: 4 This kale salad has it all: nutty barley, crunchy sunflower seeds, creamy avocado, salty feta cheese, chickpeas and red onions, and tossed in a tangy honey and lemon vinaigrette. Perfect for a week-day lunch! Salad ½ cup uncooked pearl barley {just over 1 cup cooked} 4 cups loosely packed kale; washed, stems removed, and cut into small ribbons ⅓ cup crumbled feta 1 cup chickpeas 1 avocado, cubed {leave out until just before serving} 2-3 tablespoons sunflower seeds 2 tbsp red onion, finely diced Vinaigrette 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tsp fresh lemon juice ½ tsp lemon zest 2 tsp honey 1. Cook pearl barley according to package directions. Set aside to cool. 2. Meanwhile, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients and toss with the kale. Make sure all of kale gets some vinaigrette on it, this helps to remove some of the bitterness of the kale. 3. Once barley is cool, toss with the kale/vinaigrette and remaining ingredients {however you should leave out the avocado until directly before serving} Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 11

12 Smoky Sweet Potato Hummus Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 10 mins Total time: 20 mins Serves: 4 Hummus is kicked up a notch with sweet potatoes, chipotle and lime. This hummus is lower in calories than regular hummus, although you'd never know it! 300g sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes Juice of 1 lime 1 clove garlic 1 550mL can of chickpeas 2 tbsp tahini 3 tbsp olive oil 1 chipolte pepper 4 tsp adobo sauce {from a can of chipotle peppers} ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground coriander ½ tsp chili powder 1. Fill a medium pot with 0.5 cm of water. Add sweet potatoes and 'steam' for 10 or so minutes, until sweet potatoes are completely soft. Drain and rinse under cold water. 2. While sweet potatoes are steaming, assemble the remaining ingredients in the base of a 7-cup food processor fitted with a steel blade. 3. Add steamed sweet potatoes to remaining ingredients and process on high for one minute. 4. Scrape sides of food processor and process on high for another minute. 5. Serve with pita bread, veggies, crackers, or eat straight out of the bowl ;) Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 12

13 Apple, Pear and Pomegranate Sangria Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 12 hours Total time: 12 hours 5 mins Serves: 10 A beautiful wintery version of sangria featuring apples, pears and pomegranates with a hint of nutmeg and cloves. Perfect for a Christmas or New Years party! 1 bottle dry white wine 2 apples (peeled, cored, and sliced very thin) 2 pears (peeled, cored, and sliced very thin) 20 whole cloves 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (fresh makes ALL the difference here!) 1 bottle champagne, prosecco or sparkling white wine (chilled) handful pomegranate seeds 1. Combine pears, apples, cloves and nutmeg in a large pitcher. cover with white wine. Refrigerate for 24 hours. 2. Fill a champagne flute half way with the fruit/wine mixture. Top with champagne and several pomegranate seeds. Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 13

14 Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken Stew Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 4 hours Total time: 4 hours 20 mins Serves: 6-8 This easy slow cooker recipe simmers chicken, potatoes and rosemary with vegetables for a delicious and flavorful supper. 6-8 chicken thighs, fat removed and cut into 1-2 inch cubes 2 carrots, peeled and sliced 2 stalks of celery, sliced 1 small-medium onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 medium tomatoes, diced 12 baby potatoes, left whole or cut in half 1¾ cup chicken stock 1 tbsp tomato paste 2 tbsp white wine ½ tsp fennel seeds, crushed with side of knife Just before serving: ¼ cup water 2½ tbsp cornstarch 3 tsp balsamic vinegar a twig of fresh rosemary {roughly 1 tsp chopped} ½ tsp salt {to taste} Garnish: chopped parsley 1. Toss chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, chicken stock, tomato paste, wine, and fennel seeds into the slow cooker. 2. Cook on the lowest setting for 4-6 hours. 3. Just before serving, combine the corn starch with the water and mix until no lumps remain. 4. Add the water/cornstarch, balsamic vinegar, rosemary and salt. Taste and add additional salt if necessary. Serve with a crusty baguette, or fresh focaccia. Top 10 recipes from Sweet Peas & Saffron (2014) 14