MAMA'S BDAY

getting older is a bitter sweet thing.

celebrating wrinkles and greying hairs may be bitter,

but celebrating another year of precious life

is pretty sweet.

yesterday was my mum's birthday!

presents and yummy food can make an already special day just a tinge more snazzy, yeah?

well i think so...

therefore i presented my dear mother with:

-a personally crafted, state of the art, card

(it's the heart that counts)

-hand lotion from l'occitane

because it smells like sensational flower sex

-a chicken soup book

because my mom's into that

-a delicately stirred tomato sauce with juicy prawns 

on top of al dente style spaghetti

yeah that's where it's at.

i figured i should treat my mother well on her birthday

because

raising a hooligan is a difficult task.

one more post coming this weekend!

:)

AUTUMN SALAD WITH CRISPY KALE AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH

kale might really throw some people off because it's course and

lacking in flavour.

however, this recipe will turn kale haters into kale lovers.

serve this dish on a chilly fall day,

and it will warm the heart and soul since it is just 

THAT delicious. 

i kid you not.

my friend leah and i couldn't get over how amazing this dish turned out to be.

i gotta credit www.halfbakedharvest.com

for this fantastic recipe.

leah and i actually ended up omitting some steps to the original recipe to keep it more simple, and it still turned out great.

here's our take on the:

AUTUMN SALAD WITH CRISPY KALE AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH 

ingredients:

-1 small butternut squash

-2 small gala apples 

(or any apple that floats your boat)

-1/3 cup pecans

-1 tsp chili powder

-1 tsp brown sugar

-0.5 tsp cinnamon

-0.5 tsp cayenne pepper

-0.5 tsp salt

-0.5 tsp pepper

-1 large bunch of kale

-4 tbs olive oil

-2 tbs grated parmesan cheese

-2 slices of whole wheat bread

-4 slices of brie cheese

-1 tbs of butter or margarine

optional dressing:

-2 tbs olive oil

-1 tbs balsamic creme or vinegar

-1 tsp honey

-0.5 tbs soy sauce

-0.5 tsp of pepper

how to's:

1. in a small dish combine the chili powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper

2. preheat the oven to 400 F

3. remove the stems and roughly chop the kale

(the more the merrier)

4. put the kale in a separate large bowl and add 2 tbs of olive oil, all the parmesan cheese, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

mix together with your hards for 2 minutes.

spread on a baking sheet and cook in the 

oven for around 15 minutes. 

(make sure to keep a steady eye on the kale and toss at least once since it can burn easily)

5. once the kale is in the oven, 

peel and seed the butternut squash and cut into cubes

(there should be approx 4 cups).

6. peel and seed the apples and cut into cubes and set aside with the pecans for now.

7. spread just the squash cubes on a baking sheet 

and drizzle 2 tbs of olive oil 

and sprinkle half of the spice mixture from step 1.

mix together on baking sheet.

 8. bake squash for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and then add the chopped apples, pecans and the rest of the seasoning and then toss it all together. 

bake for another 15-25 minutes, or until the squash and apples are tender.

9. while that is cooking in the oven, 

heat a skillet on medium heat, 

butter the outsides of the 2 slices of bread, 

and sandwich the the brie between the slices of bread. 

add the sandwiches to the skillet and cook for 3 to 5 minutes on both sides or until the bread is toasted and the brie is melted.

 remove and let sit a couple minutes and then chop into cubes.

10. plate the kale and add the butternut squash, apples, pecan, and croutons on top.

(drizzle on optional dressing if you please)

11. DIG IN!

hope you enjoy

:)

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

it's that time of year again where i love everything pumpkin.

pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin soup, pumpkin carving,

and how could i forget:

PUMPKIN COOKIES

(recipe will make approximately 2 dozen cookies)

what you will need:

-1 cup of pumpkin puree

-1 cup brown sugar

-0.5 cup vegetable oil

-1 egg

-1 tbs vanilla extract

-2 cups of all-purpose flour

-2 tsp baking powder

-1 tsp baking soda

-0.5 tsp salt

-2 tsp cinnamon 

-1.5 cups semisweet chocolate chips

-0.5 cup dried oats

-0.5 cup crushed pecans or walnuts

the how to's:

1. preheat oven to 350 F or 175 C.

2. in one bowl combine the pumpkin, sugar, oil, and egg, and vanilla.

3. in a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

4. slowly add in the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture and mix thoroughly.

5. line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease cookie sheet. 

6. drop tbs sized balls onto cookie sheet.

7. cook for 12-15 minutes.

8. make sure they are fully cooked through or otherwise your cookies will have a strange doughy texture.

9. EAT!

perfect with tea on a chilly autumn day

enjoy

:)

DIY - SNAZZY JEWELRY BOX

want a pimped out jewelry box?

painting this little box is a crafty activity 

you can do with friends, 

and it is very simple!

i bought all my supplies at michaels.

the one thing i would suggest is getting a fairly small brush that is well made. this way, the paint goes on smoothly and you can get more control so the edges look cleaner.

-get your creative juices moving

:)

FEROCIOUS KALE JUICE

kale, kale, kale

there is quite the health craze over this green vegetable,

but why?

benefits from eating kale:

1. it keeps you lean and mean. 

no fat, low in calories, yet packed with fiber.

(1 cup of kale has 33 calories)

2. it contains more iron than beef!

if you are anemic, then kale is your friend.

3. it has plenty of vitamin K which helps with the prevention of cancer and helps maintain bone health.

4. it contains more calcium than milk!

your teeth, bones, and nails will thank you.

5. it helps lower cholesterol levels.

go kale!

for more info, check out:

www.mindbodygreen.com

www.webmd.com

shrinkingjeans.net

there are a variety of ways to add kale to your diet.

i happened to try making a ferocious kale juice.

this drink actually tastes good, i'm not fooling you.

FEROCIOUS KALE JUICE

ingredients:

(serves 2-3 people)

-2 cups of kale

-1/2 big fat peach

- 1 small apple

-1 cup orange juice

-1 cup water

-1/3 cup of berries (raspberry, blueberry, etc.)

how to:

1. blend in a mixer.

2. blend until the mixture looks like juice.

3. serve!

and there you have it, a very ferocious drink that will help energize your day!

:)

CRANBERRY + WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

you can never go wrong with a freshly baked batch of cookies.

however instead of making a regular 

batch of chocolate chip cookies, 

i decided to add a little spin to the recipe.

CRANBERRY + WHITE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

(makes around 2 dozen cookies)

you will need:

-1/2 cup unsalted margarine or butter

-1/4 cup white sugar

-1/2 cup brown sugar

-1/2 tsp of salt

-1 tsp vanilla extract

-1 egg

-1 cup of all-purpose flour

-1/4 tsp of baking soda

- 1/3 cup walnuts

-1/3 cup dried cranberries

-1/3 cup white chocolate pieces

how to make:

1. pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. in a bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar.

3. add salt, vanilla, and egg to the mixture. 

4. in a separate bowl mix the flour and baking soda together.

5. mix the flour mixture into the creamed mixture.

6. add in the walnuts, dried cranberries, and white chocolate.

7. mix all together!

8. sheet parchment paper onto a cookie sheet

9. place tbs sized balls of dough onto the cookie sheet

(make sure the balls of dough are 

approximately 5 cm apart from each other).

10. bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until they are golden brown on the outside (bake cookies on middle rack).

11. once cookies are done let them cool for a bit, 

then plate, and enjoy!

:)

MAGIC OF CHIA

ever given chia seeds a try?

maybe you'll give them a shot after finding out all the wonderful benefits of eating these powerful little seeds.

magic of chia:

1. they contain tryptophan which is an amino acid that helps you feel fuller for longer!

2. they fight belly fat by helping you body's muscle, fat and liver cells respond to insulin normally.

3. they contain protein which is great for vegetarians.

4. they help keep your bones and teeth strong since they're packed with calcium.

5. stock up on fiber fiber fiber

check out more health benefits at

www.huffingtonpost.ca/chia-seed-benefits

and here is a clever way to add some chia into your life

chia pudding:

(serves 4-6 people)

2 cups of soy milk

2 tbs of honey

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup of chia

1. add soy, honey and vanilla into a bowl and mix until honey melts

2. add chia seeds and mix

3. put in fridge

4. after an hour, mix

5. wait 3 hours and you're pudding is finito

serve with fruit and enjoy!

i got this recipe from

kitchensimplicity.com/vanilla-chia-pudding-with-honeyed-strawberries/

p.s. this pudding makes you quite full 

:)

THAI PEANUT DRESSING SUMMER SALAD

it finally feels like summer in vancouver!

to kick-start the sunny weather the right way, 

why not enjoy a crisp and dreamy salad?

THAI PEANUT DRESSING SUMMER SALAD

recipe for two

salad:

1/4 of whole cabbage

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups of water

1/3 cup of shell-less edamame

1/3 cup dried mango 

1/3 stick of carrot

1. cook quinoa - bring quinoa and water to a boil, 

after it has come to a boil, cover, and cook for 10 minutes at low heat (between the 2 and 3 on your stove dial).

quinoa is ready once all the water has been soaked up.

2. dice cabbage (look at first picture as an example) 

3. cook edamame

4. cut dried mango into little bits

5. grate carrot

dressing:

1 tsp honey

2 tbs peanut butter

1 tbs sweet soy sauce

1 tsp grated ginger

3 tbs water (more if you like dressing thinner)

1 tsp sesame oil

1. heat up honey and peanut butter in microwave for 10 seconds
so that mixing is easier

2. add in rest of the ingredients

3. stir stir mix

4. put dressing on the salad

and voila
you have your summery and fantastic salad!

enjoy

:)

FRIED EGG BRUNCH

my dad happens to make the tastiest fried eggs. first he fries up some onion with some oil and then cracks the open an egg and seasons it with paprica and some s+p. however, i've tried making this simple fried egg on my own and it just doesn't taste nowhere near the same. i guess my papa just got some mad skills when it comes to cooking some sunny-side-up. 

so this past weekend i got my dad to cook up one of dem delicious fried eggs, which happened to go perfectly with an eggo waffle. the orange pieces added a nice touch to my meal heh.

i believe that you get more out of food that looks fun.

:)

HOLIDAY CARDS

happy holidays everyone!

just wanted to share this fast and easy holiday card idea.

all you gotta do is get some pretty paper that has got some shine to it, write up come holiday cheer, cut out chunky pieces of white paper, glue the chunks into intricate looking ice pieces, and voila!

be sure to count your blessings this holiday season.

:)