Do you have a New Year’s Eve gathering and need tasty nibbles to pass along with your bubbly? Five Spice Mixed Nuts are very snackable and rather addictive with a hint of spice and sugar. They’re the party favour that you just can’t stop grabbing at. You’ll find a pleasant mixture of Chinese five-spice, maple syrup and brown sugar. The nuts are coated just enough for a light sugary chew with a lingering spice that you can’t quite put your finger on. The added dried cherries lend a little extra sweetness and soft texture to balance the crunchy nuts.
Five Spice Mixed Nuts is a simple recipe to toss together and will keep in an airtight container for a couple of weeks. They’re perfect to make ahead for any social gathering. Enjoy your holidays and Happy New Year to you and your family. I wish you a wonderful year ahead!
Preheat oven to 225°F. Spray a large baking tray with non-stick spray.
In a large bowl toss together nuts.
In a medium bowl whisk together maple syrup, brown sugar, egg white, water, Chinese five spice and sea salt. Pour over nuts and stir to coat evenly.
Spread nuts evenly on a large baking tray. Bake for 60 minutes, turning every 15 minutes. If using dried cherries stir them in halfway through baking time.
Remove from oven and loosen from the baking tray. Allow nuts to cool completely before breaking apart. Will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
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Maple Date and Nut Snack Bites make a nutritious snack that’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup and dates. Packed with nuts, almond butter and hemp seeds they’re a great source of protein, omega 3 fats and essential minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium and iron. Easy to mix together and pack in your lunch or stuff in your back pack or purse to give you a healthy energy boost throughout your day or satisfy your sweet tooth.  A great change from that ordinary granola bar.  Enjoy!
Recipe source for Maple Date and Nut Snack Bites: Â Compelled To Cook
Combine all ingredients except white chocolate in a food processor bowl. Pulse until combined to a fine meal. Form mixture into approximate 1 ounce balls and place onto a large parchment lined tray.
Melt white chocolate over a double boiler or microwave at 30 second intervals and stir until smooth. Drizzle chocolate over snack bites. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Will keep refrigerated for several days in a sealed container or can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. I usually opt to freeze and remove snack bites as needed.
French toast like you’ve never had it! Cardamom Banana Bread French Toast is a yeasted bread loaded with bananas and pecans.  Making it a delicious take on traditional french toast. The yeasted banana bread is like regular bread but with mashed bananas like a banana loaf. It’s slightly heavier than regular bread but not as dense as a banana loaf giving you banana loaf taste without being too heavy. The resulting bread is also nutty and not overly sweet, it nicely soaks up the eggs and cream without becoming too soggy.
The idea of a yeasted banana bread comes from the book Spilling the Beans. A book that I am currently a little obsessed with at the moment I will admit. I found the book by accident one day on the way to a friends. It was in a box of free cook books on someones front lawn. My husband saw the sign and suggested we take a look. I remember grumbling about not wanting someones old books but I went over anyway. Good thing I did!! I walked away with about 10 cookbooks that day, but Spilling the Beans is my favourite of the pile. Authored by Julie Van Rosendall and Sue Duncan, it’s a great display of how to use beans in a variety of different ways. A few certainly surprised me, in a good way.
We’ve all heard it “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” and bananas are a great way to start your day right. Their numerous nutritional benefits and versatility are why bananas are one of my favourite fruits. Want to know more? Well-Being Secrets has an amazing article that will have you bananas for bananas. Check it out at http://www.well-beingsecrets.com/bananas-health-benefits/
I love this recipe because the bread is not only great for french toast, it’s terrific toasted with butter and honey or peanut butter, oh ya! Have your french toast on the weekend and toasted banana bread on Monday. Without a doubt it’s a sweet and simple way to start the week. Enjoy!
Preheat oven to 85℉. Mash bananas in the bottom of a stand mixer bowl, add water, honey and yeast. Allow to ferment for 10 minutes. Stir in 1 egg, butter, milk powder, salt, cardamom, and 2 cups of flour. Add an additional 1/2 cup flour and using a dough hook, knead until flour is incorporated. Knead in flour by the 1/4 cup ensuring flour is absorbed after each addition before adding more. Add flour and continue to knead until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Add pecans and knead until evenly distributed. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and allow to rise at 85℉ or room temperature until double in size, approximately 1 1/2 hours.
Deflate dough by kneading 2-3 times. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces and roll each piece into an approximate 15 inch rope. Place ropes parallel to each other on a parchment lined baking sheet. Braid the 3 ropes together tucking in both ends. Cover with plastic wrap or damp kitchen towel and allow to rise until almost double in size, approximately 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350℉. Place oven rack in the middle of the oven. Whisk egg with 1 tbsp of water and brush evenly onto braided loaf. Bake for 35 minutes or an internal temperature of 200℉ is reached. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack prior to slicing.
French Toast
Preheat oven to 200℉. In a shallow dish whisk eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, cardamom and salt. Cut bread into 3/4 inch slices. Heat a large non stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of oil. Dip each bread slice into egg mixture and allow to sit for 20 seconds per side. Add to hot skillet and cook for approximately 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate and keep warm in preheated oven. Repeat with remaining bread and egg mixture.
Top french toast with fresh banana slices and pure maple syrup. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Make bread the day before intending to make french toast. I used two baking sheets, one directly on top of the other creating a thicker base to prevent the bottom from becoming too dark.
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