Instant Pot Honey Apple Sauce 蜂蜜蘋果泥 ［微電腦節能快鍋版］

Apple sauce is something I always make myself, although it can be found very easily in stores. In the farmer's market here, you can buy a huge bag of local apples (about 12 lb) for just around Can$5, which is so perfect to use for making apple sauce! It's much more delicious, healthy, and economical to make it yourself. There's no fructose, corn syrup, sugar, chemicals (like ascorbic acid), or flavourings added. With the Instant Pot, this recipe I'm sharing is particularly easy. All you need to do is just peel, core, and cut the apples, and let the Instant Pot take care of the rest. Since it's the holiday season, it also makes a wonderful little gift for your friends and family.

Homemade Blueberry Balsamic Vinaigrette 自製藍莓巴薩米可醋沙拉醬

The intense, sweet flavour of balsamic is probably what makes it one of my favourite vinegars. Since the flavour pairs so well with fruits, you often find different flavours of fruity balsamic vinegars/vinaigrettes in stores, but if you look at the ingredients from their labels, cane sugar is usually among the first few ingredients. To make a fruity vinegar is quite easy (see my Peach Balsamic Vinaigrette). You don't need many ingredients or thickening agents, and it tastes much more natural.  With just a touch of maple syrup, real fresh blueberries, balsamic vinegar, and a good extra virgin olive oil, you can make your own vinaigrette that tastes better than just about anything you can find in a store!

Creamy Lemony Goat Cheese Spread 檸檬羊乳酪麵包抹醬

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure to host a little going away party for my dear friend. I could've made several big dishes and had everyone serve themselves, but I thought, why not make it an event that everyone would remember! I've always believed in expressing love and making lasting memories for others through food. It was my mom's cooking that taught me that. Even though I didn't realize it at the time, it kind of grew on me later.

Lemony Spinach-Pistachio Pesto 檸檬菠菜開心果青醬

 

Whenever the whether starts to get warm, I like to incorporate more herbs, such as basil, parsley, and chives in my cooking. Every year around this time, I buy several different pots of herbs to grow. Unfortunately, they always die in the winter, since it's so cold here. I can't seem to keep any indoor plants without my cat eating them. Given all that, it's still worth it for me to get them and enjoy them, even if only for a few months. 

 

No Fuss Roasted Tomato Sauce 簡易義大利烤蕃茄醬汁

Just had the Daylight savings time change over the past weekend and the days are getting shorter and shorter, colder and colder now. It's only early November, but I have been wearing my winter coats for nearly a month (while everyone else still has their thin fall jackets on)!

I also noticed that the farmer's market now has fewer vegetable stands. Besides apples, potatoes and a few other vegetables, one thing I still see a lot of is tomatoes (see photos below). The end of the summer and fall season are the best time to buy fresh tomatoes and to make your own homemade tomato sauce. The result tastes better and is healthier than using canned tomatoes or buying canned sauce. The cost of fresh tomatoes here from the farmers' market is really affordable compared to what I used to pay at NY farmer's markets. You can get about 7 lbs. of tomatoes for only $6 (Canadian dollars)! It would be hard not to take advantage of such a good deal!!

  

Homemade Peach Balsamic Vinaigrette 桃子巴沙米可沙拉醬

In Quebec, autumn really kicks in fast! With the clouds, the wind, and the temperature around 10-20C, it really feels like summer is slipping away. With the weather getting cooler and cooler, of course I get a bit sad to see all the colourful summer fruits disappearing slowly in the market. I'm always thinking of ways to make those fruits and vegetables stay with us a little longer.


I've been getting very good peaches this year, which is pretty surprising considering that their season is ending soon. I thought I'd take a little advantage of that this year, and that's where the inspiration for this recipe came from.