I first had Genmaicha at a Japanese restaurant and from the first sip I was hooked.

The flavour of the toasted brown rice and green tea was just so appealing to my palate and I just wanted to keep on sipping an endless supply… I just had to know what it was and where I could get it. I did find some at a little tea house and have had it a few times since, but I ran out and couldn’t find any near me and after having a cup at my friend Gen’s house the other day, I was determined to get my hands on some.

Turns out, all you need is brown rice and green tea. Very easy to get both of those; and like many things, when you do it yourself, you can have a lot more for a lot less.

So here is what you need…

This is organic green tea (Sencha) and Organic short grain brown rice

I heated my cast-iron pan on medium high heat and put a layer of rice on the bottom which worked out to about an equal amount of green tea that I had.

Stir the rice and toast it until is smells nutty, kernels are popping and the rice is a nice golden brown colour. Just make sure that it doesn’t burn.

Let cool and then mix with the green tea.

Use about 1 tsp per cup of hot water and Enjoy…

What more can be said.

Fresh and creamy… This is such a classic recipe with a small twist, the coconut milk adds such a great dimension to the custard. The flavour of this pudding is my ultimate comfort food and it is so simple to make.

Here is what you need…

• 3 cups coconut milk (or another milk if you want the more classic version)
• 1/3 cup small pearl tapioca
• 2 extra-large egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/3 cup cane sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split along the length (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

Pour 3/4 cup of the milk into a thick-bottomed pot and add the tapioca and let sit for an hour.

Whisk in the egg yolks, salt, sugar, and the remaining milk and then scrape the vanilla bean along its length with a knife and add those little “seeds” to the mixture along with the bean itself (if you are using vanilla extract only stir it in at the very end, after the pudding is completely cooked).
Over medium heat slowly bring the mixture just barely to a boil, stirring all along and then reduce the heat and let the mixture fall to a simmer and keep stirring until the tapioca is cooked (they become  translucent) and the custard is thickened.

Let cool and serve (it is delicious both warm or cold)

Since realizing that all grocery store marshmallows have blue food colouring in them to look more “white” and artificial vanilla (both petroleum based products that we can’t eat) the boys haven’t eaten any marshmallows… which honestly took some of the fun out of campfires and hot cocoa…

I knew that marshmallows could be made at home and I have seen the recipes everywhere on the net, but I never thought it was so easy! If I knew I would have made them long ago!

This is a recipe I think originally from Martha Stewart which I have seen many places around…

• 3 packets (2 1/2 Tbsp) of gelatin
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 1 c light corn syrup or Maple Syrup*
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 c Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting*
• 1/4 c corn starch

Mix together corn starch and confectioners sugar in a small bowl. Lightly grease 8X12 pan and coat with the mixture. Put the remaining mixture back in the bowl and set aside.

Combine the gelatin and a 1/2 c water in the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment.

While that sits, mix the sugar, syrup, salt and 1/2 water in a saucepan and stir until sugar dissolves.Cover and heat on med-high heat for 3-4 min , then uncover and with a candy thermometer in place, bring the mixture to 240 degrees without stirring and immediately take off heat.

Start the mixer on low and slowly pour the syrup over the gelatin mix. Increase speed to high and beat until almost triple in volume and the mixture is lukewarm (about 10- 15 min). Add vanilla near the end.

Pour the marshmallow mixture in the prepared pan with a slightly oiled spatula and smooth out the top. Dust with confectioners sugar/corn starch mixture and let sit for at least 4 hours (or overnight)…

When they are ready, dust a cutting board with confectioners sugar and turn the marshmallow block out onto it and cut into small pieces. Place in a airtight container to store.

These marshmallows are fluffy and delicious! I can’t wait to make more and try different flavours… peppermint marshmallows would be amazing in hot chocolate I am thinking!

Speaking of Hot Chocolate… I’ll share my recipe next 😉

Notes:

* I have used both Maple syrup and Corn syrup to make these. I have to say that I loved the way that the house smelled as I made the Maple ones. The Maple syrup ones have a slight maple aftertaste which I love, but the difference in taste is really not that noticeable if you are trying to taste it.  The maple ones are also sweeter.

* To make confectioner sugar, put sugar in food processor or blender and process until it is a very fine grain.

* I have used both methods of using Powdered Sugar or the confectioner sugar/corn starch mix to coat the pan and marshmallows. I found that the powdered sugar method needed a lot more to keep them from sticking, was messier and wasn’t always efficient… especially when storing.

(They also toast beautifully)