strawberries & cream ombre popsicles

 

how pretty are these ombre popsicles?! this is my second recipe for this months #canada150 celebration in partnership with vitamix. i thought red (errr pink) popsicles are the perfect festive summer treat to snack on in the blistering heat while celebrating canada day. the recipe features three layers, but the second layer is simply a mix of the top & bottom layers. the roasted strawberry mixture is so good that i couldn't stop eating it with a spoon! if you want a dairy free popsicle you could make an entire popsicle of the roasted strawberry puree. the maple syrup really helps bring out the sweetness while sticking to that canadian theme. i highly reccomend using a full fat yogurt as stated in the recipe because it allows for a much more creamier popsicle than a low fat yogurt would. trust me on this one!

ingredients

for the roasted strawberry layer

  • 3 cups strawberries, halved
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

for the roasted strawberry cream layer

  • 1 cup vanilla cream (see recipe below)
  • 1/2 cup roasted strawberry pure (see recipe above)

for the vanilla cream layer

  • 3 cups vanilla yogurt, full fat
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

directions

for the roasted strawberry layer

  • toss strawberries in maple syrup & vanilla.
  • roast for 20 minutes at 375 degrees turning once.
  • place roasted strawberries in the vitamix and puree until smooth.
  • pour the mixture into the popsicle molds filling them 1/3 of the way.
  • freeze for 30 minutes.

for the roasted strawberry cream layer

  • mix vanilla cream with the roasted strawberry puree.
  • pour the mixture into the popsicle molds filling them 2/3 of the way.
  • freeze for 30 minutes.

for the vanilla cream layer

  • mix yogurt, vanilla & maple syrup until well blended.
  • pour the mixture into the popsicle molds filling them to the top.
  • place the popsicle sticks into the base & freeze for 4-6 hours.
  • remove from molds & enjoy!

caesar bar

 

to celebrate #CANADA150 i will be partnering with vitamix all month long to share the perfect party recipes! each one is canadian inspired & will be a hit at your canada day barbecue. to kick things off i thought a caesar with ALL the toppings deserved the first spot! you can't have a barbecue without some killer cocktails & who doesn't love a caesar? sipping on a caesar, flipping burgers by the grill.. it is like an appetizer in cocktail form! bonus points when you set up a killer caesar bar for your guest to "decorate" their own drinks. for my caesar i topped it with shrimp, pickles & olives but i have a ton of options below. just choose your favourites & give your guest as much variety as possible. from hardboiled eggs, to bacon, to shrimp there will be something for everyone.

ingredients

for the spicy caesar

  • smoked paprika sea salt (to rim glass)
  • 1.5 ounces vodka
  • 1/2 cup clamato juice
  • 2-4 dashes hot sauce (depending on how spicy you like it)
  • 2 dashes worcestershire sauce
  • 1 pinch of sea salt
  • 1 pinch of pepper
  • 1 pinch of smoked paprika

for the caesar bar

  • stuffed green olives
  • black olives
  • pickles
  • shrimp
  • celery
  • limes
  • crispy bacon stripes
  • hardboiled eggs
  • pickled asparagus
  • pickled green beans
  • pickled pearl onions
  • roasted red pepper

directions

  • rim glasses with smoked paprika & sea salt.
  • in the vitamix add the vodka, clamato juice, hot sauce, worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper & paprika. blend for 30 seconds.
  • pour into rimmed glass & allow the guest to pick desired toppings from the caesar bar!

grilled zucchini flatbread

 

oh my JUNE. why don't we kick off the first weekend of a new month with some grilled flatbread! i just love the way pizza dough bubbles up on the grill. i could honestly brush it with some olive oil + garlic & stop there, but that's boring. let's get a little fancy today while still keeping things super simple. a touch of garlic, lemon & zucchini go a long way. who would have thought lemon zest on flatbread would be so good?! as you can see i am loving the dyno glo barbecue i got from wayfair cananda last month. it cooks everything up perfectly that we are outside (literally) every single day firing it up. as i type this i am eating korean barbecue braised short ribs (another obsession). anyways back to the garden that will never ever seem to be done. the link to my barebecue can be found here. as i mentioned in my previous [grilled lemon & plum poundcake][3], we went with the natural gas option cause ain't nobody got time to fill up a propane tank! enjoy this sunny weekend & don't forget to grill up some pizza dough:)

ingredients

  • 1 pizza dough (store bought or homemade)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, grated
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 3 cups mozzarella, grated
  • 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
  • 1 lemon, juiced & zested
  • 1 cup arugula
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

directions

  • preheat barbecue to 500 degrees & oil grills.
  • roll out pizza dough to desired shape. brush each side with olive oil, grated garlic, salt & pepper.
  • grill on each side for 60 seconds & remove from heat. place on a baking tray.
  • drizzle with additional olive oil & sprinkle with mozzarella.
  • cover with the entire pizza with the zucchini slices. season with lemon juice, lemon zest, salt & pepper.
  • place the baking tray back on the grill & cook for an additional 5 minutes.
  • toss argula in balsamic vinegar & sprinkle over the finished pizza.
  • slice & serve!