tweak and nourish

THE CHEESY SCONE AND THE HEALTHY COOKIE. I feel guilty for posting another indulgence so I am also posting something healthy to go with this category. There is a story behind the cheesy scone. In the early nineties, I used to work in downtown Toronto near a Second Cup, a Canadian "Starbucks". It was my routine to head over the coffee shop just to get the cheese scone after getting off the subway before walking to work. I was grateful for the times that I didn't take the subway as well as the weekends or else I would be eating it everyday.

One day, as I was looking inside the cheese drawer in the refrigerator, I noticed small pieces of Mango Ginger Stilton and Trader Joe's Unexpectedly Cheddar. I got an idea for a scone when my husband baked a lemon ricotta scone a month ago and it was so good. So I asked if he can use the cheeses for baking scones. He did and added Kerrygold Aged Reserve Cheddar. It was a 3-cheese goodness! One bite brought me back to my working days in downtown Toronto.

3-CHEESE SCONES

THE HEALTHY COOKIE. I cooked quinoa a few days ago and it turned out mushy. I realized that it was a different kind of quinoa, one that I can't use in salads and add to cauliflower rice. I had to look for recipes in Pinterest so I can use my leftover quinoa. It was imperative for me to find a solution to my dilemma because I don't want to waste food. Then came the choices: brownies or cookies? I found a cookie recipe with rolled oats, whole wheat flour, cooked quinoa, sliced almonds, dried cranberries, and chocolate chips. And no butter! One bite of the cookie left me speechless. I wondered how it could taste so good with healthy ingredients. So chewy, just like I want it to be.

QUINOA CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES