RECIPE: Pumpkin Pie from BC Living "From Scratch" Column

Pumpkin Pie 
for BC Living “From Scratch”
October 2025

 
I’ve been making my own pumpkin pie from what I considered to be ‘from scratch’ for years now, but I never made my own crust, and I never roasted my own pie pumpkin (aka a sugar pumpkin), but all of that has changed, and I’m not going back! 
 
The pumpkin tastes so much fresher when you roast it yourself as opposed to getting the canned stuff from the grocery store, and while I used to think a pie crust would be daunting, it turned out to be (fairly) straightforward. I’m going to need to work on my crimping skills, but I’m getting there, and you can too! 
 

INGREDIENTS 

For the Crust: 
* FOLLOW THIS RECIPE! * 
 
For the Pie Filling: 
 
- 2-3 lb pie pumpkin (aka sugar pumpkin) 
 
- 3/4 cup brown sugar  
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
- 1/2 tsp salt  
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger  
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves  
- ½ tsp nutmeg – freshly ground if you have it 
- 2 large eggs, slightly beaten 
- 12 oz evaporated milk 
 
INSTRUCTIONS 
 
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. 
 
Cut the pie pumpkin in half (easiest way is to leave the stem on one side only), scoop out the seeds and stringy bits and discard. 
 
Brush with oil and then place the flesh-sides down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. You can pierce the skin a few times with a fork as well. 
Bake for about 40-50 minutes until the flesh is soft, then remove and let cool. Scoop out the flesh, and then puree it in a high-speed blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender. 
Let cool completely before using. It should keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. 
 
Preheat the oven to 400°F. 
 
Make the crust with the linked instructions above.  
Optionally add an egg wash to the crust before it’s baked. 
When the crust is ready in the pie dish, it’s a good idea to par-bake it in the oven. Place some pie weights on the crust if you have them (dry beans will also work) and bake for about 8 minutes then remove the weights and bake for another 5-6 minutes. 
 
This helps the crust bake and have a firm layer before you add the pie filling. 
 
Mix 2 cups of the pureed pumpkin in a bowl with the slightly beaten eggs, the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, and the evaporated milk. 
Whisk or beat with a hand mixer until everything is incorporated and smooth. 
 
Add to the pie crust without over-filling the dish. If there is extra filling that means you can make mini pies with the leftover dough! 
 
Bake the pie for 40-60 minutes (checking frequently after 40) until a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean. You may want to cover the edges with foil to prevent them from burning as the mixture cooks. 

The center of the pie should be firm but can jiggle a tiny amount as it will continue to cook and firm up after it’s removed from the oven. 
 
Place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. You may serve it warm, or cold (which is the way I prefer it) with whipped cream, and maybe another fresh grating of nutmeg on top! 
 
Should keep in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days (if it lasts that long!). 
 
ENJOY! 

RECIPE: Blueberry Muffins for BC Living - From Scratch

Blueberry Muffins 
for BC Living
September 2025
 
I have a lot of fruit that I’ve grown over the summers that end up in my freezer when I have more than I know what to do with. Besides smoothies and adding them to granola, I decided I was going to make them into some muffins. 
 
While I chose to make these with blueberries you can use pretty much any berry you’d like for these muffins – especially if you’re getting lots from the farmer's market.  
In fact, I’m going to replicate this recipe, but add in some lemon zest and raspberries the next time – also swapping homemade buttermilk for the yogurt/sour cream! 
 

INGREDIENTS 
 
- 2 ¼ cups of All Purpose Flour 
- 1 ½ tsp of baking powder 
- ½ tsp of baking soda 
- ½ tsp of salt (less if you’d like) 
- ¼ cup of vegetable oil (can sub with butter) 
- ¾ cup of sugar 
- 2 large eggs 
- 2 tsp vanilla extract 
- ½ cup plain, full-fat yogurt (alternatively sour cream, or buttermilk) 
- 1 ½ cups of blueberries – fresh or frozen (if frozen, see *note) 
 
 
INSTRUCTIONS 
 
Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 
 
Line a muffin tin with muffin cups or grease with cooking spray. 
 
In a large bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and powder and set aside. 
 
*Note: If you are using frozen blueberries, the color will streak, and your muffins might turn bluish green. If you rinse them a few times until the water around them is clear, this will help prevent this. 
 
In a separate bowl or in a stand mixer, beat the oil and sugar together on medium speed until incorporated (1 or 2 minutes) and then beat for an additional minute on high. 
 
Add one egg at a time to the sugar mixture, on low speed, beating well and scraping the sides to make sure everything is incorporated. 
 
Add in the vanilla and yogurt (or alternatives) until everything is blended together. 
 
Slowly add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, on low speed until it is a thick and smooth batter and there are no dry bits left. 
 
With a spoon, gently fold the berries into the mixture until evenly spread around. 
 
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan – you may end up with more than enough batter and you could make a few extra muffins, but don’t be afraid to heap it in. 
 
Make the muffins for 20 minutes and then check to see if done and a tester comes out clean. If not, you can bake for another 3-5 minutes – just watch carefully. 
 
Immediately remove the muffins onto a cooling rack. 
 
Let cool, but you can enjoy them warm. 
 
Reheat the next day, or you can freeze them in an airtight container. 
 
ENJOY!

RECIPE: Burger Buns for BCLiving - August 2025

Burger Buns 
for BCLiving “From Scratch” Column
August 2025
 
We’re in the thick of summer BBQ season, so why not try and level up your next backyard or patio grill session with homemade burger buns. It might be easy to just grab a pack from the store, but I promise these tasty so much better than the plain ones full of preservatives. 

I’ve based these ones off a brioche recipe, so they are super buttery – and the best part is that they don’t just have to be for burgers, you can shape them into hot dog buns, or even buns for things like lobster rolls. They freeze well too, so feel free to double the recipe up! 
 
Makes Approx 4 Buns 
 
INGREDIENTS 
 
- 1/2 cup whole milk  
- 1 tsp active dry yeast  
- 1 tbsp water 
- 1 tbsp sugar 
- 1 tbsp butter (softened)  
- 1 egg  (beaten) + 1 egg yolk  
- 1.5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (you can also use a combo with whole wheat if you’d like)  
- 3/4 tsp salt  
- sesame seeds (optional – I used both black and white) 
 
You will also need a food thermometer, and a stand mixer is helpful, but you can also do this mixing by hand. 
 
INSTRUCTIONS 

 
Prep and measure out all of your ingredients so you have them ready to go at each stage. 
 
In a small pan heat the milk until it is steaming but not boiling – you want to aim for about 100F – 105F. When it reaches that temp, add in the water, yeast, and a small amount of the sugar and whisk together. 
Let it stand until the yeast bubbles form (about 5 mins) and then mix in the softened butter and beaten egg. 
 
Add the wet ingredients to the bowl of the stand mixer (with the dough hook attachment on). 
 
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and remaining sugar until combined. 
Going in stages, with the stand mixer on low, slowly add the flour a little bit at a time until it is incorporated. Turn the mixture up to medium-high for about 10 minutes until a sticky dough has formed. 
 
Oil a large bowl and remove the dough from the mixer (oiling your hands will help it not stick to you!) and place in the bowl, turning to coat it with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap (I also covered it with a clean tea towel) and set aside to rise. 

You want the dough to double in size – this could take up to 2 hours depending on the time of year, your location, and the temp of your room! So just keep an eye on it. 

Once it doubles, punch it down and remove it from the bowl. Divide it into 4 equal pieces – either by eyeballing it, or you can weigh it and divide it by four. 

 
On a clean countertop, gently roll the balls until they are smooth, and you can pinch the seam together on the bottom. Once rolled, place on a baking sheet – spread evenly – and cover with the plastic wrap from earlier for about an hour until they puff back up. 
 
When ready, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and in a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk with a teaspoon of water. 
Uncover the buns, and with a pastry brush coat the buns with the egg wash and then immediately sprinkle with the sesame seeds if you’re using them. 

Bake for 15-18 minutes (each oven can be different) until they are a golden-brown color – then remove from the oven onto a wire cooling rack. 
 
Best used the same day they’re made, but you can also freeze them and when you want to use them you can let them defrost on the counter and toast them up. (I pre-cut the buns before I freeze them to make defrosting easier.) 
 
ENJOY! 

RECIPE: Popsicles for BC Living - From Scratch

Popsicles
for BC Living - “From Scratch”
July 2025
 
The heat is on, so why not try your hand at making some popsicles from scratch! The main thing you need is a mold and there are plenty of styles to choose from, so pick the one that’s best for your freezer’s shape and size. 

When making your popsicles, the sugar in fruit will be diminished a little in the freezer, so if you want a little bit more sweetness, add some sugar, honey, or maple syrup into the mix. 
 
If you’re using something like strawberries, you might prefer to strain the little seeds out after you blend the mixture together. 

Fresh fruit is the best to use (especially while it’s in season!), but you could use frozen fruit if you’d like. The main thing is to have fun with it and play around with the ingredients. 
 
 
GENERAL INGREDIENTS 
 
- 2 cups of fruit 
- 1 cup juice, or yogurt (or other liquid like coconut water) 
- 2 tbsp sweetener (honey, maple syrup, sugar) 
- optional ingredients: vanilla extract 
 
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS 

Blend the fruit, juice or yogurt, any sweetener or other flavors together, pour into the molds and freeze for a minimum of 3-4 hours. 
 
For Strawberry Popsicles 
- 2 cups strawberry with the stem removed 
- 1 cup coconut water (or fruit juice) 
- 2 tbsp sugar (or honey) 
 
Blend all ingredients together, then pour through a fine sieve to remove the seeds (optional step). 
Pour into molds and add the sticks, then freeze for a minimum of three hours. 
Running a mold under warm water will help loosen the popsicle when removing. 
 
For Blueberry Popsicles 
- 2 cups blueberries 
- 1 cup Greek yogurt 
- 2 tbsp of honey (or maple syrup) 
- 1 to 2 tsp of vanilla extract 
 
Mix the vanilla into the yogurt and taste to see if you’d like more. 
Blend the blueberries, yogurt, and honey together in a blender, then pour into the molds. 
Freeze for a minimum of three hours. 
Running a mold under warm water will help loosen the popsicle when removing it. 

 
For Creamsicle 
- 2 cups apricot flesh (see below), alternatively peaches, oranges, mangos also work 
- 1 cup fruit juice (apricot, peach, mango etc.) 
- 2 tbsp of honey 
- 1.5 to 2 cups Greek yogurt 
- 1 to 2 tsp of vanilla extract 
 
In a bowl, mix the vanilla extract with the yogurt and taste to see if you’d like more. 
 
Remove the skin or peel from your desired fruit (blanching briefly is best for apricots and peaches) and remove any seeds. 
 
In a high-speed blender, add the fruit, the juice, and the honey and taste sweetness (you want it on the higher side). 
 
In the molds, add a tablespoon of the fruit mixture, and then a tablespoon of vanilla yogurt, alternating until the mold is filled, and the two are slightly blended. 
Freeze for a minimum of three hours (these may need more with the two separate fillings) 
Running a mold under warm water will help loosen the popsicle when removing. 

RECIPE: Beet Salad for BC Living "From Scratch" - June 2025

Beet Salad
for BC Living
June 2025 
 
Farmers markets are back, local produce is growing, and summer is on the horizon! I grabbed my tote bag and headed to the market in Kits to see what I could find for a summer picnic. The stalls were brimming with the first strawberries of the year, foraged mushrooms, and peppers galore, but my eyes landed on the beets. Both the red and golden ones looked amazing, and I knew a salad with some local goat cheese and greens was what I was looking for. 
 
The only tricky part about (red) beets is that they’ll stain your hands (and the golden beets, AND the cheese), so use gloves if you can and don’t mix everything together when you plate it, to keep it nice and clean. 
 
One of the best parts is that you can make a variety of dressings for this. I went with citrus, but a Dijon mustard dressing, or even just a balsamic glaze would be delicious. 
 
Bring this to your next beach picnic or backyard BBQ as a cold side salad or enjoy it in the sunshine for a healthy lunch. 
 
--- 
 
Makes approximately 4 small servings, or 1 large serving 
 
INGREDIENTS 
 
- 1 large red beet 
- 1 large golden beet (or even a Chioggia beet if you can find it!) 
- extra virgin olive oil (for roasting) 
- ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese (adjust to taste) 
- 1-2 tbsp crushed pistachios (or other nuts, like walnuts) 
- 1 cup arugula (optional, for serving base) 
 
For The Dressing: 
 
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil  
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar  
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed juice of: a lemon, or an orange  
- ¼ tsp salt 
 
 
INSTRUCTIONS 
 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
 
Scrub the beets clean (do not peel yet) and remove any excess roots. 
Place each beet on a sheet of tin foil, drizzle with olive oil, and rub to coat. Then wrap each beet completely in the foil. 
 
When the oven is preheated, place the foil-wrapped beets on a baking sheet or directly on the oven rack, and cook for 45 minutes. 
Stick a fork in the beet to see if it penetrates easily - the larger the beet, the longer it will take to cook through, possibly up to an hour or more. Continue to monitor them until the fork easily pierces the beet and then remove from oven and set aside to cool. 
 
Once cool, the skin should easily fall off the beet, though you may need to peel some back with a peeler and cut off any root leftover. 
I do this step with the red beet using gloves as it will stain your hands. 
 
Once the beets are peeled, chop them into bite-sized pieces and keep in separate bowls to avoid the red bleeding onto the golden. I like to chill them (covered) in the fridge for a while, as I prefer chilled. 
 
While they are chilling, whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, or shake them in a jar with a lid. Set aside. 
 
When the beets are at the preferred temperature, pour some of the dressing over each bowl and stir with a spoon. 
 
To plate, lay a bed of arugula on a serving tray. Using gloves or tongs, arrange the red and golden beets in alternating colors to avoid color bleeding. Sprinkle the dish with goat cheese, and then the crushed pistachios.  
 
You can also add fresh herbs at this stage if you have them on hand – I added some basil from my garden. 
 
Add some extra dressing over top of the salad and serve. 
 
 
NOTES: 
 
Leftover salad should keep in the fridge in a sealed container for a few days – it just might need some extra dressing. 
 
You can make this vegan by swapping goat cheese for nut-based cheese, or another vegan alternative. 

RECIPE: Madeleines for BC Living - From Scratch

Madeleines
for BC Living “From Scratch” Column
May 2025

I did a big spring clean of my oven and rediscovered my madeleine pan and immediately got the hankering for some sweet golden lemon cookies! These French treats can be a little finicky to make as the batter is very delicate and airy, but they’re completely worth the work when you pop one in your mouth still warm from the oven. 
 
You can also play around with the ingredients – instead of lemon zest (or in addition to) add lavender, or orange and chocolate. The possibilities are endless and delicious. 
 
INGREDIENTS 
 
- ½ cup (unsalted) butter 
- 2 eggs – room temp 
- ½ cup sugar 
- 2 tsp lemon zest 
- 1 cup AP flour 
- ½ tsp baking powder 
- 1 tsp vanilla extract 
- pinch of salt 
- powdered sugar for sprinkling (optional) 

*You will need a madeleine pan for this recipe 

 
INSTRUCTIONS 
 
In a small pan, melt the butter and then set aside to cool while you prep the rest of the ingredients. 
 
In a large bowl, or in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar at high speed for about 10 minutes. You want to mixture to be pale and when the beaters/whisk is lifted it should form ribbons. Add in the lemon zest and vanilla and beat to combine. 
 
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, salt and baking powder until combined then, with a spatula, fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture a small bit at a time. You want to be gentle so as to not over mix. Keep it light! 
 
Finally fold in the melted butter until it is incorporated. 
 
Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for a maximum of one hour. 
 
Preheat the oven to 350F and prep the madeleine pan by brushing it with melted butter. You can also flour the pan to help keep the madeleines from sticking but I was able to remove them without doing so. 
 
When the batter has finished chilling, scoop about 1 tbsp into the center of each of the cookie wells – you don’t need to spread it around, it will expand while baking. 
 
Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies spring back and are nicely browned. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack right away to let them cool. 
 
If you want to (I definitely did) you can sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve. 
 
The cookies are best the same day (and warm), but I found putting them in a paper bag let them stay moist overnight for breakfast the next morning. 
 
ENJOY!