‘Tis the season to be jolly! No matter what the holiday season may look like this year, I encourage you to create a special feast with the ones you love. By adding some greenery to your table (we found ours in the backyard!) and lighting your favourite candles you can transform your space into a holiday oasis. Brunch is a great way to celebrate and I hope one or more of these Woodlot-inspired recipes make it to your holiday menu.

Recharge Roasted Brunch Potatoes

The uplifting aromatics of rosemary and mint found in Woodlot’s recharge blend were the inspiration behind these herb-a-licious roasted potatoes. This is a great dish to serve at a brunch as it is easy to make ahead of time. You can easily substitute the eggs with a tofu or chickpea scramble. It pairs beautifully with smoked salmon.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds baby potatoes, halved if large
6 cloves garlic, skin removed and cracked open
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, stemmed and chopped finely
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp kosher salt
black pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
6 large eggs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Coat the potatoes and garlic with the olive oil, lemon zest, rosemary, salt, and pepper and spread out on a large baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes, toss and continue roasting another 20-25 minutes, or until golden.
Soft boil the eggs by bringing 1 inch of water in a saucepan to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add the eggs straight from the refrigerator into the pot. Replace the lid and let it continue to boil for exactly six minutes. After six minutes, remove the eggs from the pot and place them in an ice-water bath or run under cool water until they are cool enough to peel.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and transfer to a serving plate. Arrange the eggs and herbs over the potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper before serving.

Original Citrus & Pomegranate Salad with Vanilla Candied Walnuts

You had me at orange and vanilla, Woodlot. The Original scent just so happens to be my favourite of the line and designing a recipe in its honour was a joy to my senses. It’s a flavour explosion of sweet, sour, and bitter with a great crunch from the walnuts and pomegranates. This recipe is certainly not limited to your brunch menu and makes a great addition to the dinner table too. Option to top it with crumbled goat cheese or parmesan shavings for an extra something-something.

Ingredients

8 ounces baby arugula
1/2 head radicchio, sliced thinly crosswise
⅓ cup pomegranate arils
1 blood orange, peeled and segmented
1 orange, peeled and segmented
Candied Walnuts (recipe below) to garnish

Dressing

¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
½ small red onion, chopped
2 tablespoons water
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until well mixed. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
In a salad bowl, gently toss arugula and radicchio. Arrange pomegranates, orange slices, and candied walnuts on top.
Dress the salad lightly before serving.
Optional: Add a sprinkle of your favourite cheese like goat, parmesan, or old cheddar.

Candied Walnuts

1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt, divided
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 cups whole, unsalted walnuts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp sea salt, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Add the nuts and stir to combine. Pour the mixture out onto the baking sheet, including all of the liquid, and spread them around. You’ll see a pool of maple syrup, and that’s ok.
Bake the nuts for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and stir the nuts around with a wooden spoon, placing them back into the oven for another 15 minutes (stirring every 5 minutes). Be sure to stir well each time, gathering up any excess maple syrup with the spoon.
Remove the nuts from the oven, sprinkle the remaining sea salt over the top of the nuts, and allow them to cool completely. This makes a big batch so use as you please in the salad and save the rest for a snack; store up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Cinder Cinnamon Buns

This recipe was sparked by Woodlots’ Cinder Candle which is the epitome of cozy cabin magic with a blend of vetiver, cedar, oranges, and cinnamon. Once you’ve added the bright flavour of orange to your classic cinnamon buns, there is no turning back.

Ingredients

Dough

1 package active dry yeast (2 and 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water
fresh orange zest from 1 medium orange
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3 – 3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)

Filling

1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground clove
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

Glaze

1 cup confectioners’ sugar (or more for a thicker glaze)
3 Tablespoons orange juice
fresh orange zest from 1 orange
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Make the dough: Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water for about 1 minute. Stir the yeast/water around. Then add orange zest, orange juice, sugar, salt, egg, butter, and 1.5 cups of flour. Beat everything together on low with a handheld mixer, scraping down the sides as needed. With a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make dough easy to handle – about 1.5 – 2 more cups. You are looking for a dough that is not sticky and will spring back when poked with a finger.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it with your hands for about 5-6 minutes. Form the dough into a ball and transfer it to a lightly greased bowl. Cover the dough and let sit in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1.5 hours.
Line the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving room on the sides. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using a rolling in, roll into a 10×15 inch rectangle. Make sure the dough is smooth and evenly thick (even at the corners!).
For the filling: In a small bowl, cream together the sugar and spices with the softened butter. Sprinkle over the rectangle dough. Tightly roll up the dough and cut into 16 even rolls (1 inch in width each) with a very sharp knife. Arrange them in the prepared baking pan, cut sides up.
Cover the rolls and let them rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes – 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover the rolls with aluminum foil and bake for about 25-30 minutes, until they are lightly golden in color. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for about 15 minutes.
Make the glaze: In a small bowl, mix together all of the glaze ingredients and drizzle over rolls before serving. If needed, add more orange juice to thin out. Pour glaze over the buns.

Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

This post was in collaboration with the team at Woodlot.

Photography and styling: Sarah Konyer

Linens: Flax Sleep

Ceramics: Janaki Larsen

Mugs: Clay by Chlo

Recipes: Jennifer Brott

Blog

MEA x Woodlot Part Three: Holiday Brunch Menu