Then there are splendid and simple moments, ones of clarity. Cutting into any one of the satsumas, lemons, blood oranges, grapefruits, or tangerines, taking a second to revel in the brightness, is one of those moments. Vivid colour, the intensely perfumed oil in the skin, all succulent with tart sweetness, the symmetry within the shapes–all reminders of the warmth in the design of this world. The core of life still glows and we are assured at the very sight of those neon orbs that vibrate with the sun and earth’s strength.

Something unusual to wake up my winter-dulled sensibilities was bubbling away in my mind and it had to be a chop, a shred, a seasoning from up high, toss toss toss and a fast sear away. Quick. Jude Blereau’s orange pan-glazed tempeh (first seen on 101 Cookbooks for me) is one of my favourite ways to utilize citrus in an upfront and savoury sort of way. I swap out the coriander for some ground ancho chilies in pursuit of heat, but otherwise keep it to the letter and simple. Have you tried tempeh before? That fermented, probiotic and protein-heavy vegan wonder food? The texture is toothsome. The flavour is nutty, hinting at mushrooms and damp, forest floor kind of qualities. It has roots in Indonesian cuisine and stands in beautifully for tofu and animal proteins.

Right here, it goes for a bit of a sear and a sloshy glaze of maple, ancho and soy infused orange juice. I thought of it as the foundation of a taco with a slaw saturated in grapefruit juice and flecked with fresh mint. Grapefruit gets on beautifully with creamy and mild avocado, so that became the crucial third component. A little frivolous tangle of sprouts on top felt fine in the moment. Finishing squeezes of lime are available for even more freshness. The combination is nicely jarring and it brings the world a bit closer, what with the participatory nature of taco get-togethers. The gathering, assembly and communal eating seems to put us all into the light a little more.

orange + ancho braised tempeh tacos with ruby grapefruit slaw
serves: 4-5
notes: I used an all-soy variety of tempeh for this, but there are many varieties with brown rice and other grains thrown into the mix  that are great. Also, as previously mentioned, I subbed in ancho powder + cayenne for the coriander in Jude’s recipe. You could go so many ways with it though.

1 batch orange pan glazed tempeh (recipe link)

ruby grapefruit slaw:
1/2 small red cabbage, cored and shredded
1 small carrot, grated or peeled into ribbons (I used a funky white, heirloom one)
juice of 1 grapefruit + I cut up a few sections of it for visual/textural interest in the slaw
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 green onions, sliced finely
4 sprigs of mint, leaves sliced finely
salt and pepper

assembly:
corn tortillas, warmed
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted + sliced
handfuls of sprouts (I had pea shoots around)
lime wedges
sriracha or other hot sauce

Prepare the slaw: combine all slaw ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning, adjust, and set aside.

Dice and warm all of the assembly components and set aside.

Prepare tempeh according to directions. Serve hot with other taco accoutrements.

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This tendency points to a few things. I’m generally comfortable wherever I go, slipping into adaptation mode. I don’t seem to get the itch to go back home ever. I do love my town and my family and everyone here, certainly. But I would be perfectly happy to set up a cozy nest and start something new just about anywhere, for however long. Call it unsettled, call it adventurous or irresponsible; doesn’t matter.  I used to think it was too late to entertain this sort of mindset, but lately I just want to drop everything and go everywhere all at the same time. And it feels possible. So possible.

I do love Niagara in the summer. The air is temperate, the local abundance is ripe, plenty of exciting goings-on, the frequency of cold wine and beers outdoors is envigorating, smiling faces everywhere… but I’ve been imagining even greater things. Travel, projects, adventures, getting it done! It feels good.

What feels equally good? A cozy, luxurious and healthy breakfast at home with all of my favourite things. Grainy, seedy sourdough bread soaked in a fresh blueberry and almond batter that’s spiked with orange juice and warm vanilla. Oh and maple syrup, juicy peaches and tart yogurt all on top. Whoa. It’s enough to make me want to stay at home forever (and ever).

blueberry + almond buttered french toast with peaches
serves: 4
special equipment: a blender/food processor
notes: Have everything ready before you make the batter to dip the bread in. If you let the blueberry mixture sit, it begins to separate a bit. Be ready to dip right after you blend!

batter:
1 cup almond milk (not sweetened)
1/4 cup almond butter
1 tsp flax seeds
juice from half an orange (or a couple tablespoons)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup fresh blueberries (or thawed frozen ones)

for toast:
12 thick slices of good, grainy bread (preferably a day old)
1 tbsp melted coconut oil
evaporated cane juice (natural sugar) for sprinkling

to serve:
maple syrup
3 ripe peaches, sliced
extra blueberries
chopped almonds
yogurt of your favourite persuasion (coconut milk, soy, goat milk, cow etc)

Start preheating a large nonstick skillet (or cast iron) to medium.

Combine all batter ingredients in a blender pitcher. Blend on medium-high speed until completely liquified, about 1 minute. Pour batter into a medium-sized, shallow dish.

Place coconut oil into the heated pan and swirl it around to melt. If the pan seems to hot, keep it off the heat for a minute or two while you soak the bread. Start to soak slices of bread in blueberry batter. Scrape off excess and place in the pan with the melted coconut oil. Sprinkle a little evaporated cane juice on top of the bread in the pan (the non-cooked side) to promote caramelization when you flip. Cook until slightly browned, about a 1.5 minutes, and flip over. Cook for another minute and remove from the pan.

Wipe the pan out with a bit of paper towel and repeat cooking process with remaining bread and batter.

Serve warm with maple syrup, peaches, blueberries, yogurt and nuts.

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Best of all, Mark knows what I want to listen to as soon as we settle in to get everything moving on. He has a certain intuition and a breadth of musical awareness that keeps me happy wherever we go. Sometimes it’s dance hall, or it’s Midnight Marauders (my go-to summer driving album of choice), some stand up for a really long drive is usually called for, he’ll never EVER go wrong with Bruce (and he knows this), Talking Heads when it’s late… Those sweet and perfect little selections reflect the ridiculous-good harmony I feel every day in our life. It all works just right every time. Happy, silly, smily-faced gal right here.

So naturally I asked him to scheme up a little summertime mix for this post. What am I bringing to the party? A tutorial and three recipes on wholesome, delicious iced tea to keep you hydrated all the way through to Labour Day. A very necessary summer mix and a mega refreshing beverage (that isn’t loaded with high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavourings)? That’s a happy union for sunny days on end, guys. I hope you all love it as much as I do. That soft clinking of ice cubes lazily floating around in some home brew is synonymous with summer for me.

The essential formula I go with is as follows: tea (black, green, herbal or my fave-rooibos) + herbs/spices + citrus juice of some kind + fresh fruit if you feel it + appropriate chilling time (+booze if you wanna get tore up crazy). That’s it.  I’ve offered up three fairly choice recipes but this technique is up for plenty of variation and wildness on your part.

One more thing: with at-home iced tea making you can go the hot or cold-brewed route (I’ve included instructions below). They both require the same amount of tea when all is said and done. Cold brewing results in a more clarified beverage with more subtle nuances taste-wise. I love this method if I’m using green tea. If you need iced tea immediately, the hot method is gonna be your jam: brew, sweeten, add ice and go.

Link for the lovely mix is below (just click on the picture). Listen to it when you’re driving to the beach, coming home from a barbecue, getting on a plane to NY for some early summer fun (we leave Thursday!) or when you’re fixing up a cold drink for someone you really, really like.

basic iced tea formula + hot and cold brewing methods
serves: makes 1 litre (32 oz.)
notes: I’ve included a basic frame of ingredients, 3 specific recipes and hot + cold brewing methods for your convenience :)

BASIC INGREDIENTS:
6 tsp loose leaf tea OR 5-6 tea bags
fresh herbs, fruit & whole spices if using
water (amount depends on method used)
1/4 – 1/2 cup citrus juice of your choosing
1/4 – 1/3 cup liquid sweetener (agave nectar, raw honey, maple syrup, simple syrup etc)
ice (if using hot-brew method)

RECIPE 1: strawberry vanilla bean rooibos iced tea
Rooibos is like nature’s gatorade (electrolytes!), so I love sipping on this when the heat rises.
6 tsp rooibos tea or 5-6 rooibos tea bags
4 strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/4 vanilla bean pod (I save the leftover pods when I bake with the seeds)
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup agave nectar (I like light agave here)

RECIPE 2: iced green tea with lemongrass, mint and lime
So fresh, light caffeine and all the antioxidants/good stuff you love about green tea.
6 tsp green tea leaves or 5-6 tea bags
1 stalk of lemongrass, cut in half and bashed up with the back of your knife
2 sprigs of mint, leaves removed
juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup raw honey

RECIPE 3: not-super-sweet sweet tea with orange and spice
My man’s insane love of Southern-style sweet tea finds its healthy match right here (adapted from Bryant Terry’s amazing recipe in this book).
6 tsp ceylon orange pekoe tea or 5-6 tea bags
1 large cinnamon stick, broken in half
juice of 1 orange
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup dark agave nectar

HOT BREWING METHOD:
1. Place tea, fruit, herbs/whole spices in a non-reactive pitcher
2. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over top
3. Add citrus juice and sweetener, stir to combine
4. Brew (2 minutes for green tea, 3-5 minutes for black tea, 5+ minutes for herbal or rooibos teas)
5. Strain out tea and herbs/whole spices
6. Return brewed and sweetened tea to the pitcher
7. Top up to 1 litres-worth with ice
8. Stir to rapidly chill and enjoy!

COLD BREWING METHOD:
1. Place tea, fruit, herbs/whole spices in a non-reactive pitcher
2. Top up to 1 litres-worth with filtered water
3. Cover and leave in the fridge to brew slowly overnight
4. Strain out tea and herbs/whole spices in the morning
5. Return brewed tea to the pitcher
6. If using honey or maple syrup, dissolve it in 1/4 cup boiling water before adding to brewed tea to sweeten. Any other liquid sweetener should dissolve just fine in the cold tea (like agave or simple syrup).
7. Add citrus juice, stir to combine and enjoy!

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A fruit fool is a rustically pretty, non-fussy, super English dessert (it dates back to the 16th century!). It very simply consists of sweetened and stewed/cooked and pureed fruit with whipped 35% cream and usually a little crunchy/biscuit-y something for textural contrast. The first time I saw one was years ago in this beautiful book by Jamie Oliver. Just the sheer name of it was calling to me. A speedy rhubarb fool. Pull it out of the garden, throw it together, chopped rhubarb and vanilla bean in the pot, whip the cream, delicately fold fold fold; all on a lark. Homey, charmingly clumsy, gorgeous pink and comforting.

I went a fairly non-traditional route with the cream component, subbing chilled and whipped coconut milk (favourite thing right now) with honey and vanilla bean. Since I went a bit crazy in that regard, I thought I would work some cardamom, ginger and orange into the rhubarb itself. A magical sprinkling of pistachios on top brings this exotic treat full circle. The rhubarb never hides under it all. A gaze at the shocking pink contrast, little sour pinch on your tongue to say hello. It’s perfect for grey spring days, something to savour now and keep as a reminder of the treasures to come while you sink your feet into the green grass and suck your cheeks together.

a rhubarb fool with vanilla coconut cream
serves: 4-6
notes: When you’re extracting the top “cream” layer from the can of coconut milk, be extra careful to not grab any of the coconut water with your spoon. Some chopped strawberries would be a lovely addition to the compote if they’re available in your area. Crumbled ginger snaps would be a fantastic topping/garnish option instead of pistachios.

rhubarb compote:
1 lb rhubarb, pink and light pink parts chopped
juice of 1 orange
1/4 cup agave nectar or raw honey, maple syrup etc. (or more if you like, I went kind of tart here)
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

vanilla coconut cream:
2 cans full fat coconut milk, chilled overnight
3 tbsp raw honey (or agave nectar, maple syrup etc)
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds removed

handful of roasted pistachios, shelled and chopped (optional)

Combine the chopped rhubarb, orange juice, agave nectar, cardamom and ginger in a large saute pan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Simmer the mixture until the rhubarb starts breaking down and the consistency is slightly jammy and compote-like, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

Make the cream: Remove the top layer of solid cream from the cans of coconut milk. Place into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the agave/honey/sweetener of choice and vanilla bean seeds. Mix on medium-high speed, stopping and scraping down here and there. Mix until stiff, whipped cream-like consistency is achieved. Set aside.

To serve: Place about half a cup of the cooled rhubarb compote in each serving dish. Top with a dollop of the vanilla coconut cream and a sprinkle of pistachios if you like.

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The batter is crazy stiff and looks kind of weird because of the chia gel, but once you lay it into the hot pan with some coconut oil, it starts to smell awfully familiar in the kitchen. These are like thin, little carrot muffins with a bit of an orange aroma and slightly crisped edges. Slather some tangy, lime-y and rich cashew cream on there with a drizzle of maple syrup and you get full-on breakfast indulgence not unlike the ubiquitous cake slice of choice. I wouldn’t say that cashew cream is low fat by any stretch, but it’s reasonable to say that it’s a more nutritionally virtuous option than sugared up cream cheese icing.

In general, I’m pretty crazy for breakfast. It’s easily my favourite meal and one that I never, ever skip. There’s a whole ritual with the tea and that first piece of fruit and the effort to make the meal balanced in the early hours. Everyone has their routines and preferences. When you work as a server or cook for a brunch shift at any restaurant, you see and experience this so strongly: the infinite styles of eggs, sweet or savory dishes, sauces on top or on the side, ketchup on everything!, light or dark toasted white, wheat or rye bread, just toast and butter!, fruit, potatoes, milk, cream and sugar, smoked fish, preserves, yogurt and granola, sausage or bacon?, salads, beans and rice, scones, croissants, doughnuts, indulgence!, but then.. sensibility! It’s very individual and all of the personality and life tied up in it is pretty interesting to me. I feel like I’m learning something about the person as I listen to their precise order. If someone makes these pancakes for your breakfast, you yourself will learn that a) they are the coolest person ever and b) they probably really like you. Another reason to not skip breakfast, am I right?

carrot cake pancakes with tangy lime cashew cream
serves: 4
special equipment: a blender or food processor
notes: Grate the carrots on the fine side of the grater for a more refined textured pancake. Oh, and if you don’t have cashews, you can always make almond cream!

cashew cream:
1 cup raw cashews soaked for at least 4 hours
scant 1/2 cup water
juice from 1 lime
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp maple syrup

pancakes:
2 tbsp ground chia seeds
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp water
3/4 cup non-dairy milk
1.5 tsp apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup whole spelt flour
1/2 cup white spelt flour
zest of 1 orange (or clementine is delicious)
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of salt
2 tbsp maple syrup + more for serving
1 tbsp melted coconut oil + more for cooking pancakes
2 cups finely grated, loosely packed carrots
handful of toasted walnuts, chopped

Make the cashew cream: Combine the cashews, water, lime juice, vanilla and lime juice in a blender or food processor and blend/process on high until smooth. Scrape cream into a container and refrigerate until ready to serve (it will firm up a bit).

Stir the ground chia seeds and 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp water together until combined. Set aside for 5 minutes or until the mixture gels.

Stir the apple cider vinegar into the non-dairy milk and allow it to curdle for a few minutes.

Make the pancakes: Combine the whole spelt flour, white spelt flour, orange zest, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl and whisk together. Form a well in the middle of the flour mixture. Add the maple syrup, coconut oil, chia gel and curdled milk mixture. Stir until just combined. Fold in grated carrots gently.

Cook pancakes: Heat a large saute pan to medium-low. Pour in about a tablespoon of coconut oil to get started. Once it’s heated up, place 1/4 cup portions of batter into the pan (not too many at a time!). Cook until bubbles start appearing on the surface and bottom edge looks slightly browned. Flip it over and repeat cooking process. Repeat with remaining batter, keeping cooked pancakes warm in a foil covered plate or in a low oven on a parchment lined sheet.

Serve hot with cashew cream, maple syrup and chopped walnuts.

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