You know life is too busy when you realize it’s almost the end of August and you’ve only been to a farmers’ market once. The friendly smiles from local farmers and their hauls of freshly harvested produce is always worth the trek across the Danforth and down Pottery Road to Brick Works, my favourite of Toronto’s long list of seasonal and year-round markets.

I realize the local strawberry season is almost over, but this super simple dessert was enough to satisfy an entire summer’s worth of these precious red jewels. This recipe makes just enough for two or three small portions, so you might want to double the recipe if making dessert for a crowd (or you want to enjoy leftovers).

This is the first time I’ve roasted strawberries and it definitely won’t be the last. Letting them spend some time in the oven allows them to become tender and intensifies their flavour, since some of the water inside the berries evaporates, leaving the sweetness of the berries to become more concentrated.

Roasting strawberries is a quick and easy process that you can do by simply slicing up your berries and popping them into the oven. I like to toss them with balsamic vinegar and a little bit of coconut sugar, too. Of course, what better way to serve them than with a big dollop of whipped cream!

Oh, summer, how I’ll miss you.

Roasted balsamic strawberries

Yield: 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients:

For the coconut whipped cream:

• 1 (13.5oz) can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight
• 2 to 3 tbsp agave nectar or other sweetener
• seeds of 1 vanilla bean

For the balsamic strawberries:

• 2.5 cups chopped strawberries
• 1 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. To make the coconut whipped cream, scoop the cream from the top of the can of coconut milk, reserving the water at the bottom of the can for other uses, like in smoothies.
2. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the coconut cream until smooth and fluffy. Add sweetener and vanilla seeds and continue to whip until incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to use. (This can be made a day ahead, if desired.)
3. To make the roasted strawberries, preheat the oven to 400F. Place the chopped strawberries in a pan (I used an 8-inch round cake pan) and stir in the coconut sugar and vinegar until the strawberries are all coated.
4. Roast for 10 minutes, or until the strawberries are soft but not mushy. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Serve in small bowls topped with coconut whipped cream. This is best served immediately but can also be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to serve.

Ah, long weekends full of sunshine, how I love you.

The initial plan was to spend the weekend at the cottage, but hubby and I opted to stay in the city to get some much-needed spring cleaning under way. And, since we are in the process of planning out a new addition to our house, we need to be diligent about completing the necessary plans for the building permit. Have you ever had to apply for a building permit? It’s ludicrous, I tell you. Truly ludicrous. Floor plans, site plans, cross sections, elevations, lot surveys—yikes!

Since we have been such busy bees, I kept our meals pretty simple. Smooth mocha chia pudding made for a delicious Saturday afternoon snack, and these soft tacos were quick to come together for our late Sunday evening dinner.

They require a pretty simple combination of ingredients: portobello mushrooms, red pepper and red onion tossed with oregano, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper, and roasted to perfection. The roasted veggies can be stuffed in soft tortillas or folded like a burrito (I love Food for Life sprouted ezekiel or brown rice tortillas) and garnished with other additions like avocado, cilantro, salsa or whatever your heart desires. I added sliced avocado and shredded kale and served with our favourite spicy guacamole.

Truth be told, while my hubby enjoyed them taco style (the ones in the photos), I preferred to top a meal-size salad with the roasted veggies and lightly broil the tortilla to serve as the bowl. That’s what I love about recipes like this—they are simple yet totally versatile.

Enjoy!

Roasted portobello & red pepper tacos

Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 3 portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tsp dried oregano, divided
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar + 3 tbsp water
• 1 sweet red pepper, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced into 1/2 moons
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 4 (4-inch) soft tortillas (use brown rice tortillas for gluten-free option)
• optional add-ins: sliced avocado, guacamole, shredded kale, salsa

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. In an 8x8-inch square baking pan, combine the portobello mushrooms with 1 teaspoon of oregano, balsamic +water mixture, salt and pepper. Stir to coat.
3. In a 9x12-inch baking pan, combine the red pepper, onion, remaining teaspoon of oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir to coat.
4. Bake both at 425F for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the veggies are cooked and the onion is just starting to caramelize.
5. To assemble, fill each tortilla with roasted veggies and other optional add-ins. Serve immediately.

Yet I had never used it in baking until a few years ago, when I came across a balsamic fudge cookie recipe on SusanV’s Fat Free Vegan Kitchen. The chocolate and balsamic seemed like a very interesting flavour combination. And wow, is it ever! The vinegar acts as an enhancer of the chocolate rather than a discreet flavour, and I now make these cookies regularly to feed my husband’s cookies-and-tea addiction.

But there’s a problem. Over the course of the last year I have been making the transition to more organic and fair trade whole foods ingredients in my baking. As much as I love how vegan Earth Balance margarine makes for perfectly textured, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, I can no longer bring myself to use it as much as I used to (SusanV also makes a fat-free version with prunes, but that just doesn’t work for me). The white flour and the high sugar content in the recipe also turn me off.

So, I began working on recreating the recipe to include spelt flour, less sugar and no margarine. What came out of this experiment was a wonderful surprise–it turns out you can replicate that fudgy flavour in a more healthful way! I am so happy with this recipe that I have to share it with you all.

I should note, however, that the type of balsamic vinegar does make a difference in the outcome of these cookies. When I first started making SusanV’s version, I used inexpensive, no-name balsamic vinegar, and it did make a great cookie. But I was fortunate to receive a pricey bottle of aged Belazu balsamic vinegar as a gift earlier this year, and the whole bottle has since been used to make these cookies. Yes, it’s that good. If you aren’t able to get the good stuff, I recommend reducing an inexpensive brand so that it becomes thick and syrupy. Please see my note at the bottom of the recipe for instructions.

Balsamic fudge cookies

Yield: one dozen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup spelt flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 1/4 cup muscovado sugar
• 2 tbsp arrowroot
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup canola or sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, cocoa, sugar, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt.
2. In a seperate bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, oil, balsamic vinegar and vanilla extract.
3. Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
5. Line a cookie pan with parchment paper and drop the dough by tablespoons onto the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are cracked. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in a tightly covered tin container at room temperature.

To reduce inexpensive balsamic vinegar, pour a bottle or two into a large pot, and simmer it all down until it is reduced by about 1/4-1/6 and is thick, syrupy, and coats the back of a spoon. Be careful not too let it simmer too long or it will burn your pot! Once thickened, pour it back into one of the bottles and keep it in your pantry.