KrisNeely, Author at Ant & Anise • Page 3 of 15

Chewy Chocolate Coconut Macaroons {Gluten Free, Grain Free}

I’ve made 4 different batches of coconut macaroons in the past 3 weeks. April has been a whirlwind of coconut and eggs for me. Luckily, I’ve had a lot of tasters to help me share the eating part.

(Now if only my tasters could help with my chocolate drizzle technique… I’m sure they could, if I asked them. Or maybe they like the big blobs of chocolate on top.)

This coconut macaroon experimentation-turned-brief-obsession started out as a pre-Passover, pre-Easter way to welcome spring in the form of an egg-heavy, casual sweet nibble after dinner.

But tasting my first two coconut macaroon attempts side by side, I knew I’d be back in the kitchen, tweaking amounts of sugar and coconut until I arrived at chewy, coconutty perfection. And, yes, adding chocolate to them….

Apple Cheddar Arugula Salad

I’ve been craving spa-like cuisine this week. We’re finally into spring, yes, but I think it has more to do with indulging a little too much lately with these little pieces of chocolate evil. I’m talking about Kirkland’s milk chocolate covered almonds, our preferred after-dinner nibble.

Sometimes I think the only reason I pay my Costco membership is to ensure I have a steady supply of these in the house.

But enough was enough. Time to take a break from chocolate almonds and focus on healthier eating, at least for a week or two. So my thoughts have turned to salad.

This is a refreshing salad, with crisp apple, tangy sharp cheddar and peppery arugula. Now, my favorite apple — hands down, no question — is the Cripps Pink, or Pink Lady® as it’s also known….

Mahi Mahi Tacos

Hello there, and welcome to our (mostly) redesigned site. It’s a refreshing, clean look that we love, plus it looks a lot better on mobile devices. A lot better.

(I’m even starting to modify a little code, here and there, all the while praying I don’t blow up the whole site as I tinker away. It’s true, a little learning is a dangerous thing.)

We still have a ton of cleanup to do on the blog. There’s always more to add to Ant & Anise, of course. A better search function for recipes. Maybe an ‘About’ page, where we let you know a little more about Ant & Anise than just a sentence or two. Yep, we’re getting around to that….

Chard and White Bean Ragout

Baby, it’s cold outside.

2014 has been a very cold winter, and I keep hearing we — the collective we in North America — can blame the polar vortex. That sounds nasty, doesn’t it? Like an evil force bent on world, or at least continental, domination.

Not even Vancouverites can escape the polar vortex, although its evilness here is tame compared to what it’s done on the East Coast. Still, this weekend it snowed for a few days straight, a wet, sticky snow blanket that paralyzed the city for, um…. a day or two….

Chocolate Truffles for Your Valentine

Today is Valentine’s Day +1. But it’s not too late to make your valentine smile.

It’s a simple equation: good quality chocolate + heavy cream (+ optional flavorings) = heavenly chocolate truffles. Yum.

It’s true, a lot of chocolate and candy making is tricky. I’m quite happy to leave the tough stuff to the pros at Beta 5, Chocolate Arts, Thomas Haas and others around town. Those are some impressive chocolates.

Chocolate truffles are impressive too. Intense bursts of chocolatey goodness. And they’re surprisingly easy (and fast) to make, even if your skills and equipment are limited in the kitchen. …

Easy Sautéed Kale with Garlic, Lemon and Chili

It’s been a little quiet on Ant & Anise lately. Kind of like a post-holiday rest, only it came at the end of January instead of the beginning. Did you miss us, just a little bit? Awww, thanks.

With the holidays clearly over and done with, we’re back into regular routines, more or less. And I’ve been thinking about dinner. As in, how much I rely on a small repertoire of dishes on busy weeknights.

I love to experiment in the kitchen, really I do. And I try out new recipes regularly.

But when it’s 5 o’clock on a Wednesday night and I think what on earth am I going to make for dinner that’s quick, healthy and will taste good?……it’s those times when the tried-and-true recipes muscle their way to the top of my thoughts. …