by on August 28, 2020   •   9 Comments Preserves

Blueberry Lavender Preserves

An intensely flavoured berry sauce, Blueberry Lavender Preserves are simple to make and can be used in many ways as a topping or syrup.

I know I’m just getting this recipe in under the wire as berry season comes to a close. However, before we transition to apple crumbles and pumpkin pies, let’s get a few jars of summer preserves on the pantry shelves.

My thriving lavender patch has inspired its own unique run of recipe testing this August. There were a few hits, plenty of misses, and a clear winner: today’s Blueberry Lavender Preserves.

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by on August 25, 2020   •   3 Comments Menu Planning

The Best Zucchini Recipes

Sweet, savoury, and pickled, too, this round-up of my best zucchini recipes is the inspiration you need for using up those summer squash.

I love zucchini for their versatility. Here’s a vegetable that makes both a fantastic relish for hamburgers and my kid’s favourite sweet bread.

I grill it all summer long, and when fall arrives and kids head back to school, zucchini is the base for all sorts of muffins.

Right now, summer squash and zucchini varietals are available in abundance; let’s work them into more recipes and meal plans.

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by on August 18, 2020   •   4 Comments Traveling

A simple family vacation on Prince Edward Island

Inspiration and ideas for an easy and relaxing family vacation on Prince Edward Island. Created in partnership with Tourism PEI.

This is the year for exploring locally, be it a country road trip, camping excursion or city staycation. Thanks to an Atlantic Canada travel bubble, we’re able to move around from Maritime province to province without needing to self-quarantine.

Last weekend, in honour of my birthday, we enjoyed a relaxing family vacation to beautiful Prince Edward Island. For four days, it was just us, the red roads and endless beach.

So many of you followed along on Instagram and asked questions, so I thought I’d share a quick recap here with helpful links.

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by on August 11, 2020   •   Leave a Comment Bakeshop

Farmer’s Market Blueberry Peach Cobbler

A seasonal, jammy fruit compote topped with a fluffy vanilla biscuit. Blueberry Peach Cobbler is August eating at its best.

Every August, local peaches and blueberries show up at the farmer’s market side by side. These seasonal fruits are painted in extraordinary hues and exquisitely perfumed.

Combining peaches and blueberries in a recipe just makes sense right now. My special take on a Caprese salad features sweet cherry tomatoes, ripe peaches and a handful of wild blueberries. It’s one of our essential August eats, along with these (chicken kebabs).

Today’s recipe is is on the sweeter side, however. It’s a vibrant, jammy Farmer’s Market Blueberry Peach Cobbler, slightly spiced with a little homegrown lavender. These flavours were made for each other! Read on for the recipe.

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by on July 29, 2020   •   4 Comments Preserving

How to Use and Preserve Summer Herbs

Simple recipes and methods for preserving the bounty of summer herbs.

Few gardening tasks make me happier than gathering enormous bundles of fresh herbs and bringing them into the Simple Bites kitchen.

The bouquets of thyme, lavender, rosemary and other herbs feel like such an abundance of wealth. I keenly feel the responsibility to preserve the bounty for the winter months.

We’ve arrived at that time of year when herbs have taken off and home cooks are wondering what else to do besides pesto and um….more pesto. I’ve responded to enough direct messages over the past few days asking how to use and preserve summer herbs that I figured I may as well write a post on the topic.

My tips on how to use and preserve summer herbs will help you waste less, save more, and eat with flavour.

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