Snack Attack Volume 5

I just got a mandolin so I had to try out some fruit chips! Expect me to get my slice on in the weeks to come. Check out the below fresh snack recipes I've been whipping up in my kitchen.

1. Sichuan Pepper Apple Chips - Slice 2 apples and arrange on a baking sheet. Season with a blend of ground Sichuan peppercorns, salt and cayenne. Cook at 200 for 1 and 1/2 hours. Added bonus - your kitchen will smell great as they cook!

2. Top cucumber slices with hummus and a sliced chile - the perfect combination of sweet and spicy with crisp and creamy.

3. Banana slices topped with Nutella and a raspberry - a sprinkle of course sea salt will cut the sweetness and bring out the hazelnut.

4. Go beyond kale chips by baking swiss chard, beet or turnip greens for 8 minutes at 350 - it's nice to switch things up.

5. Pour one serving of almond milk over 1/4 cup frozen blueberries - the BEST alternative to ice cream ever.

Adventures in Baking - Buttermilk Biscuits

Drop biscuits are a much easier alternative to rolled biscuits. They should be crisp on the outside with a tender, flaky interior. The key to making the perfect drop biscuit is all about temperature. I like to individually freeze the biscuits to make them last longer.

1. Whisk 2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp salt in a large bowl.

2. Melt 1 stick of unsalted butter and let cool slightly. Mix in 1 cup chilled buttermilk until small clumps form. These lumps will slightly increase the height of the biscuit and create more of a contrast between the inner and outer texture of the biscuit.

3. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients until just incorporated. Spoon 1/4 cup biscuits onto a greased cookie sheet. I prefer to use a muffin tin to create neater biscuits.

4. Bake at 475 for 12 minutes.

Sunday Supper - Tender & Creamy Green Salad

I'm still detoxing from a week of Italian food with my parents visiting. I decided to have a simple salad for lunch this week. Feel free to add chicken, tofu or shrimp to add some protein and make it more substantial. I'm pairing it with a serving of fruit.

1. Tear up one head of butter lettuce. Add 1 sliced shallot and a handful of snipped chives.

2. Whisk 2 tbs mayonnaise with 1/4 cup buttermilk and 1 tbs white wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and a squirt of lemon.