Author: Kyle Davis

Student Life

Kyle’s Kitchen

Post author By Kyle Davis
Post date October 13, 2015

Pumpkin spice is an autumn staple. Luckily you can have it in more than a latte with these pumpkin spice-inspired recipes. Photo by Kyle Davis.

Pumpkin spice and everything nice, here are some fall recipe staples

Pumpkin spice mix

1/3 cup ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups white sugar

Combine, shake, and stir. You will need this mix for the following recipes.

Baked and stuffed squash

What I love about autumn is the variety of vegetables. This is a favorite go-to dish and it’s vegetarian!

1 small squash, cut in half and deseeded
2 cups of quinoa, well rinsed
4 cups of vegetable stock (water works too but will give less flavour)
1 rib celery, washed and diced
1 green pepper, washed, deseeded and chopped
1 red pepper, washed, deseeded and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 zucchini, washed and chopped
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 beet, peeled and grated
1 green onion, thinly cut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place squash on baking tray. Coat with oil and butter. Season with salt, pepper and a good pinch of the pumpkin spice mix. Place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.
In a large pan, add quinoa and vegetable stock. Cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes.
Remove quinoa from pan and let cool. Wipe pan. Heat stove to medium-high with two tablespoons of oil. Add vegetables (minus the beet and green onion), cook for 8-10 minutes with a tablespoon of oil or butter. Remove from heat and mix with quinoa. Season with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, honey and a pinch of pumpkin spice mix.
When the squash is cooked (flesh is soft) remove from the oven and let cool down for five minutes.
To prepare, spoon quinoa into the center of the squash. Garnish with grated beet and green onion.

Homemade pumpkin spice latte

While everyone enjoys a pumpkin spice latte it can’t really be called coffee. This is a homemade take—without the $7 price tag.

1 pot of brewed coffee
4 tablespoons pumpkin puree
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons pumpkin spice mix
1 spoonful of whipped cream

In a small pot on low heat, combine milk, pumpkin spice mix and pumpkin puree. Whisk thoroughly till hot—but not too hot as the milk can burn on high heat.
Pour coffee to fill 1/4 of mug and top-off the mug with the mix from step one. Finish with a spoon of whipped cream.

An ode to the apple

Nothing says fall like fresh Quebec apples. Here’s a sweet-but-spicy spin on them.

3 Quebec apples, washed, quartered and cored
1 tablespoon honey
Pumpkin spice mix
Whipped cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. On a baking tray, place apple slices. Generously coat in honey then sprinkle the pumpkin spice mix over them.
Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for five minutes.
Serve with whipped cream on top.

Student Life

Kyle’s Kitchen

Post author By Kyle Davis
Post date October 6, 2015

Arriba! These Spanish-inspired recipes will send your tastebuds on a trip to Spain

Here are some dinner recipes with a Spanish flair.

Tortilla de Patatas

This staple dish in Spain is a testament to how simple and beautiful a few eggs, potatoes and onions can be. It’s best eaten at room temperature, drizzled in olive oil with your favourite beer.

8 eggs
1 Yukon gold potato, washed and cut into bite-sized chunks
6 slices of bacon, cut into strips (sticky note size)
1 large white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup of milk
salt, pepper
olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place potato in pot, cover with water, add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil (10-15 minutes, until tender).
Drain potato and cool. Place a medium-sized pan on medium heat and add one tablespoon of oil. Add bacon to pan, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Cook until desired crispiness.
Remove bacon and cook onions in the same pan until lightly brown, then remove from pan.
Add three tablespoons of oil to pan and turn to medium-high heat. Add the cooked potatoes and roast to a hash-brown goldenness (eight minutes).
When crisp, remove pan from heat and add butter. Ensure sides and bottom are well coated—this will prevent sticking.
Combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper and whisk until mixture is homogenous and frothy.
Combine onions, bacon and potatoes in the pan and pour egg mixture over.
Place pan in oven and cook (10-15 minutes).
To test if they’re done, poke a toothpick in the center: if it comes out clean, it is ready.

Note: Mix will expand during the cooking process, so make sure your pan is only 3/4 full.

Spanish rice

This recipe is similar to the classic paella, however I use basmati rice as it’s generally cheaper to buy in bulk. The beautiful thing about this dish is you can add whichever ingredients tickle your fancy. I prefer to eat it the next day cold with a beer, but that’s me.

4 cups of Basmati rice
1 1/2 litres chicken stock
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 stalks of celery, washed and diced
1 whole red pepper, cleaned and diced
1/2 cup frozen peas and corn
3 large prawns or 1 chorizo sausage (optional)
1 bay leaf
salt, pepper and paprika

Heat medium pot with two tablespoons of oil on medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, red peppers and bay leaf into pot. Cook for eight minutes.
Turn heat to medium-high, add rice, stirring constantly to lightly toast (one to two minutes)
Add chicken stock to cover and bring to a low boil, stirring every so often.
After 30 minutes, rice will be cooked. Add frozen peas and corn with a teaspoon of paprika and season with salt and pepper, stir mix for five minutes then leave to warm on stove until ready to eat.
You can garnish with roasted prawns or sausage, or eat rice as is.

Student Life

Kyle’s Kitchen (Column)

Post author By Kyle Davis
Post date September 15, 2015

Back to reality breakfasts

Chances are mornings are not your favourite part of the day. Sometimes, the only thing that can keep you awake is a nice mug of coffee. Here are three quick and easy breakfast recipes to beat those blues.

“Smashed avo toast with runny eggs”

Like at the café but cheaper…

2 slices of sourdough bread
1 avocado
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
Lemon juice

In a pot of boiling water, place eggs for five minutes
Transfer eggs into a bowl of cold water = runny yolks!
Pop the bread into the toaster, aiming for golden brown
Half the avocados, discard the pit and scoop it out onto bread and spread
Sprinkle salt, pepper and a splash of lemon juice
Peel eggs, cut them in half and place them on the toast
Stand back and admire your creative ability
Eat

Note: To one-up this recipe try adding a bit of olive oil and chili on top.

“The breakfast crepe”

Step your morning game up with a crepe. Take it on the go!

2 eggs
1 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of oil
¾ cup of flour
4 slices of ham
2 cups of grated cheddar cheese

Ketchup (optional)

Whisk eggs and milk together until homogenous, slowly adding the flour after, whisking vigorously to avoid lumps.
Heat a medium sized pan on medium heat and add oil. When hot, add ½ a cup of batter, shaking to ensure a thin even layer.
After a minute flip the crepe, wait 30 seconds and transfer to a plate. Repeat process.
Spread ketchup onto a crepe add two slices of ham on top, sprinkle with cheese and warm in oven until melted
Fold and/or roll and you’re good to go!

Note: Crepes can be made the night before and will keep in the fridge or freezer.

“Iced coffee”

Your caffeine fix without that six-dollar corporate price-tag…you know who you are.

6 cups of brewed coffee
2 cups of milk
6 tablespoons of condensed milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

While the coffee is hot, whisk milk and condensed milk until fully blended
Add vanilla
Set in fridge and cool overnight

Note: Sweetness changes once chilled so avoid making the mix too sweet while hot.