What I'm Into: April 2015

Spring time is here! It's time to get outside and read in the sun, walk your (or someone else's) dog and sit on all the patios! I really hope by saying all that I'm not jinxing this beautiful weather, because I will not be happy about another unexpected snow storm or torrential down pour. April showers have happened so bring on the flowers! Anywho here's what I've been into for the month of April:

Books I've Read

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt

I technically finished this book at the very beginning of the month but I still wanted to talk about it! It was a long, detailed, but fantastic read that I'm so happy I stuck through. I wrote a more detailed post a few weeks back but I just wanted to throw it out there that if you're thinking about reading this book, you should. 

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

After reading the Goldfinch my brain needed a break so I turned to a young reader's book that has been sitting on my shelf since Christmas. As usual I was initially drawn to and excited about the cover but I quickly discovered how great of a read it is. Counting by 7s follows the story of young genius, Willow Chance, as she quickly must learn to adapt to a new life after her adoptive parents experience a tragic accident. This book is unexpectedly funny, sweet and endearing and what I think is a must read for all ages. 

TV Shows I've Watched

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

I love this show! It is just what I needed to get out of my 'Parks & Rec. is over' slump. This show is hilarious, has great characters and just makes you feel good. My only disappointment with it is that there is only one season up on Netflix and I finished it before I was ready! Now I'm in an 'Unbreakable needs another season' slump. Though, that can easily be overcome by listening to the theme song over and over again. 

Movies I've Seen

My Love, Don't Cross the River

I saw this at Hot Docs this past week and it definitely was one of the best films I've seen this year. It's a documentary following a South Korean couple who have been together for 75 years! They're a beautiful pair that appreciate simplicity, small acts of kindness and just being together. Definitely see it if you have the chance - but be sure to bring a lifetime supply of tissues for the tears you're bound to shed.

There are also a few days of Hot Docs left and you should go see all the movies! Free for students and seniors before 5pm! So many beautiful films! 

More Fun Stuff

Art Classes

I took two art classes this month. The first one I took was a beginners painting class where we created two pieces - one watercolour and one acrylics. The second one was a clay class where I made two clay bowls. Both were so much fun. It was great to be trying something new and feeling creative. I'm definitely going to check out some more over the summer!

Raw Shelled Hemp Seeds

When I tell people I don't eat meat they're always suddenly concerned with my eating habits and especially how I get protein. Everyone becomes a nutritionist. I mean I'm not the only vegetarian out there, I'm not doing anything crazy. I even eat eggs and dairy products still so why the sudden concern? Who knows. Anyways that being said I have recently discovered hemp seeds and they are the best. I add them to granola, oatmeal, cereal, nut butter toast, yogurt - anything really. They taste great, are easy to digest and are another protein source I can tell concerned carnivores about. 

Sleepytime Herbal Tea

I'm a natural worrier. I get anxious about the smallest details, sometimes my nerves just take over and I can't shut my brain off - resulting in many lost hours of much needed sleep! As someone who prefers to take the natural remedy route I recently tried Sleepytime Tea by Celestial Seasonings and am obsessed. A hot cup of this has become a crucial part of my night time routine and I'm happy to say I'm sleeping better because of it!

Also George came for a surprise Easter visit and that was pretty great.

What I'm Into: August 2014

This summer has been insanely good. I can't believe it's already September. After a summer working for LiNK and adventuring all over Los Angeles, August was well spent with a week in San Francisco, some time at the cottage, and lots of movie watching. After seeing the idea on my friend Christie's blog, here is what I've been into for the month of August.

Books I Read:

Blankets by Craig Thompson-  I think I must have already read it before but have no idea when. Anywho, it's a coming of age type story starting with two young brothers, following a romance, and exploring faith - and I liked it.

Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick - After hearing this book mentioned time and time again at the LiNK office, I finally got around to reading it. It shares the stories of the lives of six North Koreans over fifteen years, each of them with very different experiences. A powerful book that gives great insight to life in North Korea.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway - This was my first read by Hemingway and I really enjoyed it. It's the story of an old man on a great fishing journey, as a he battles the environment around him. 

Movies I Watched:

Guardians of the Galaxy - I really love Chris Pratt. He's seriously the best. This move is action packed and full of space adventure and fun, with an awesome soundtrack. It's different than most other super hero movies I've seen - in a good way!

Chef - This movie follows a chef as he ventures out of the fancy restaurant kitchen and into a food truck. It shows you an honest glimpse into the life of a chef and makes you want every food from every city in America.

Obvious Child - I really enjoyed this movie! It's about a 26 year old aspiring stand up comic and follows her struggles with romance and life. It's a romantic comedy without perfect people and is just so pleasant to watch.

Boyhood - This was awesome. Filmed over the course of 12 years, it follows the story of a boy named Mason through ages 5 to 18. Boyhood is beautiful! Everyone grows up and the world changes right before your eyes. Loved it.

TV Shows I'm Into:

Breaking Bad - Way late on this one but I finally finished Breaking Bad! And I loved it. I am usually not one to follow serious type shows, but Breaking Bad really got to me. It's great writing, acting and way too much purple.

New Girl - After being compared to Jess Day so many times I decided to finally give New Girl a chance. It's fluffy enough that I don't feel like my brain is melting, but also funny enough that I don't feel embarrassed watching it (re: my old MTV reality habit). Also, Zooey Deschanel has perfect hair and clothes so there's that.

Music I Jammed To: 

Beyonce - I went to the On the Run Tour and whooey it was the best. Beyonce doesn't even seem like a real person. She was never out of breath, her hair was always wind blown, and she was always looking so fierce. Jay-Z also oozed with coolness every time he stepped on stage, and I couldn't help but obey when he told me to bounce. 

Fun Stuff I Did:

Wine Tasting at Castello di Amorosa - While in San Francisco, we hopped over to Napa Valley for a wine tour and it started at this awesome castle! It was a beautiful setting to pretend I knew things about wine, and the tasting was so much fun. I definitely recommend going - we also had the best, most hilarious tour guide, Victoria, so if you check it out request her!

Cottaging - Even though I'm missing the dry heat of California, nothing beats a weekend at the cottage. All summer long I've been dying to jump in the lake and finally the itch has been scratched! Reading, BBQ, relaxing by the water - all add up to some great weekends back home. 

Thoughts on the Old and New Year

Over the past week or so I've become very thoughtful on the past year. That tends to happen every new years but this past year was a big one for me. There were a lot of surprising changes in my life and I'm feeling like I'm growing in happiness and success in following my dreams. I know, I know that sounds super cheesy, but it's true! This blog started as a personal project last year to keep me inspired and creative in the baking world. I had a few slip ups, and the past couple months I haven't kept up too much on the blog but I still think it was a success! I kept baking and tried a lot of new recipes (like donuts, oof donuts) and feel like having this blog kept me on track. It gave me something to look forward to, something to keep me inspired, and something simple that I could accomplish nearly every week. I'm giving myself five gigantic gold stars! 

With 2014 quickly approaching I've been having a few thoughts on what to do with this blog - whether to keep it up with baking, mix in a few new ideas and how often I should be posting. Basically, since this is for fun, inspiration and creative outlet, this blog is just going to be me. It might be book reviews, new recipes, favourite things, but it will pretty much be anything that makes me happy. I want the new year to be full of positivity and hope this blog can help me keep that up. If you want an official title I guess I'm moving more into the 'Lifestyle' realm of the blogosphere. I want to write about whatever I like without the restrictions of being a baking blog. With all that being said, I'm looking forward to the challenges and excitement of 2014! Happy New Years! 

Week 10: What's in our Basket?

If you don't know what's going on with this basket stuff catch up here:
Week 1 / Week 2 / Week 3 / Week 4 / Week 5 / Week 6 / Week 7 / Week 8

The leaves are changing colours, the air is getting colder, everything is pumpkin flavoured - fall is definitely here. This is our last basket from the summer season and based on its contents I can officially say summer is over! Every time we go to pick it up I am shocked by the amount of food we receive. I can't imagine getting a weekly full share because our biweekly half shares are always filled to the brim with delicious produce. The true mark of fall in our basket was with a giant butternut squash but there was also some confusion with these little, shelled, tomato-like items - which we later found out were tomatillos. We loved our basket so much that we've signed up for another one for the fall - and a holiday one too for Christmas, but I know, I know, too far away for excitement - however I won't be keeping up the regular basket blogs, unless they really stand out. With this basket I'm excited for veggie roasts, soups and more, here is what's in our basket:

Vegetable Half-Share:

2 red onions, a bunch of white potatoes, a butternut squash, head of lettuce, tonnes of tomatillos, one bunch of kale, on bunch of spinach, 5 turnips, 4 peppers, so many carrots and a bulb of garlic!

Fruit Share:

A bunch of McIntosh apples, one bunch of red grapes, 5 anjou pears, and 2 lemons.

Their Potential

Roast up those tomatillos for a delicious salsa verde.

The perfect autumn dish with maple, apples and what else, butternut squash.

Take a break from butternut squash soup and why not try this carrot-ginger version?

Kale and butternut squash combine to make this beautiful, sweater-weather tart.

Why choose between cake and pie when you can have them both in an apple-pie cake?

Three-tier candied-pecan cake with brown butter pears - get in my belly.

Summer is for grilling, fall is for roasting! Roasted turnips are my new thing.

Week 8: What's in our Basket?

If you don't know what's going on with this basket stuff catch up here:
Week 1 / Week 2 / Week 3 / Week 4 / Week 5 / Week 6 / Week 7

September has been off to a busy start! I'm back at school once again and I can already feel my social life slipping from my fingers as I try to balance six classes, work, hobbies, the blog and not to mention making a few changes to my room this week! But! I am glad it is finally the weekend and even though I'll be doing some homework it's also TIFF - my favourite time of year. I'm seeing quite a few movies this year but still holding out until Monday when Meryl Streep will hopefully hire me as her personal assistant after seeing me go crazy at the red carpet (dream big right?). Anyways, our baskets our winding down in the next couple weeks and it seems they're packing them full of our all-time-favourites - more watermelons, juicy grapes, and corn on the cob! Here is what's in our basket:

Vegetable Half Share

1 bunch of romaine, 1 bunch of leafy greens, tonnes of potatoes, a few yellow tomatoes, 5 red tomatoes, 3 corn on the cob, 1 bunch of beets, 1 bag of salad mix, 1 mini watermelon, 1 English cucumber, 1 green pepper, 1 bunch of broccoli. 

Fruit Share

1 bunch of grapes, tonnes of apples, 2 oranges, 2 lemons, 1 mini watermelon.

Their Potential

Of course Mexican flavours would make grilled corn taste better, Mexican food is the best.

I love hummus and this beet and goat cheese variation sounds fantastic.

I really don't need to say anything more than this - lemon raspberry swirl cheesecake bars.

Grilled romaine is the hero in this balsamic and shrimp salad.

Apple provolone? BLT? These pizzas sound good to me!

Fall weather means fall soups! How a bout this tomato zucchini one for starters?

Baked apples scream fall (and an even easier way to make apple crisp).

Week 7: What's in our Basket?

If you don't know what's going on with this basket stuff catch up here:
Week 1 / Week 2 / Week 3 / Week 4 / Week 5 / Week 6

I love fun sized things. Whether it be chocolate bars, toys, shoes (how cute are baby shoes), anything, the term fun size is literally fun - those little itty bitty things are just oozing with fun. Do I sound crazy yet? Bear with me. The farm must have felt my happy vibes from last week's mini watermelon because this week we got two! Two precious, baby watermelons that I can't wait to cut open and eat with a spoon. They are so easy to eat, and so refreshing - perfect for a summer snack. In addition to the fun sized melons we received a few other things in our basket this week that I am so excited about. Corn on the cob anyone? Here is what's in our basket:

Vegetable Half-Share

1 pint of cherry tomatoes, 1 bunch of kale, 1 bunch of romaine, 6 husks of corn, 1 mini watermelon, 1 bunch of green beans, 2 green peppers, so many potatoes and so many apples.

Fruit Share

1 mini watermelon, 2 large bunches of grapes, so many apples.

Their Potential

Swap fish and chips old friend, coleslaw, with this tasty kale slaw.

A great alternative to the classic potato, these apple chips are simple and delicious.

Focaccia bread takes grapes to a whole new level with the addition of walnuts.

Salty and sweet make this refreshing watermelon salad a winner.

This crostini takes you away from the usual pasta pairing.

I've said it before but grilling makes everything better, and I'm sure this watermelon lemonade is no exception.

Spice up your corn by grilling it and following this simple recipe.

Donuts are the new cupcakes, and these apple cinnamon donuts are where it's at.

Week 6: What's in our Basket?

If you don't know what's going on with this basket stuff catch up here:
Week 1 / Week 2 / Week 3 / Week 4 / Week 5

With my family on vacation this week, I took advantage of the free kitchen and loaded up on my favourite foods by heading out to my local farmers market one morning to pick up a large supply of peaches and blueberries (two of my all time favourites). It's really easy for me to go a bit nuts at market stalls. I could easily walk out with way too much produce, just because "those tomatoes looked so pretty in the basket!" I tried to resist this time around knowing my share day was coming up and I'm glad I did, we got some real gems this week. The mini watermelon made me squeal with excitement, the basil made my nose happy and the plums got me brainstorming new dessert options! Here is what's in our basket:

Vegetable Half Share

1 bunch of basil, 3 yellow squash, 2 field cucumbers, 1 bunch of kale, 3 bulbs of garlic, 1 bag of salad mix, 1 large bunch of potatoes, 1 head of romaine, 1 pint of grape tomatoes, 1 bunch of green beans

  Fruit Share

8 plums, 1 cantaloupe, 1 pint of blueberries, 4 bartlett pears, 1 mini watermelon

Their Potential

If you've never grilled pineapple, do it, and make it into this great side dish.

Change up your taco tuesday and fajita fridays with this plum salsa.

This pasta pairs basil pesto and green beans for a fresher taste. 

I am firm believer that grilled food always tastes better, I'm sure this caesar salad is no exception.

Maybe this should have been a grill theme, this red potato salad is light and right up my alley.

This cake brings together a tried and true duo - blueberries and lemon.

Watermelon is one of my favourite summer foods, this soda float will definitely hit the spot. 

Plum halves make a delicious cake gorgeous.

Week 5: What's in our Basket?

If you don't know what's going on with this basket stuff catch up here:
Week 1 / Week 2 / Week 3 / Week 4

The humidity is gone (knocks on all the wood)! I hate being hot. The only thing that comes with being hot that I enjoy is the jumping into a lake to cool off - all the other things can leave me alone. That being said, most of my favourite foods (peaches! mangos! corn on the cob!) are more readily available in the warmer months so for now I'll dream of fall and just keep on chomping. Thanks to some commenters for week three's post, my recipe collection is expanding and I'm ready for some new possibilities! Most of the items in our last basket ended up either in a smoothie or on the grill, but I especially loved sauteing the sugar snap peas with the garlic - they have such a satisfying crunch. This week we're excited to see the beets and pears but are a little nervous of the avocados (I know everyone is "all hail the avocado" but we're not always feeling it). This week's was a big one, here is what's in our basket:

Vegetable Half Share

1 bunch of beets, 1 head of romaine, 4 yellow zucchini, 2 field cucumbers, 2 large tomatoes, 1 bunch of kale, 1 head of cabbage, 1 bunch of red potatoes, 5 garlic bulbs, 1 bunch of broccoli 

Fruit Share

2 avocados, 1 bunch of bananas, 4 navel oranges, 4 bartlett pears, 1 large bunch of white grapes

Their Potential

Jazz up a classic chip dip with this guacamole recipe.

These zucchini chips just look good, that's it. 

Take a rest from tortillas and make these buffalo chicken lettuce wraps.

Salad is no longer leafy thanks to this quinoa one featuring oranges and beets.

Staying hydrated is easy with this melon-cucumber-lime infused water.

Grilled pears for dessert? Yes. Grilled everything.

Cabbage for coleslaw may be typical, but this one is anything but. 

I've made similar ones before, but recently these banana blueberry oat muffins are where it's at. 

Week 3: What's in our Basket?

If you don't know what's going on with this basket stuff catch up here: Week 1 / Week 2

These past two weeks have flown by and before we knew it, it was time to pick up our third basket from Plan B Organic farms. With the weather getting warmer we are getting more excited and curious about the possibile produce that we'll receive. Last week had a few surprises - some hits, some misses. I pickled the radishes (re: this post), discovered my love for green smoothies (coconut water + mango + pineapple + kale = heaven), however we are not (yet) fans of swiss chard. We tried it both raw and sauteed with garlic and the taste was just a bit too 'earthy', but maybe we'll find a future with it at another time (any suggestions?)! My mom picked up our basket this week while I was at work so I had to contain my curiosity until I got home, but there were definitely some exciting finds! Here is what's in our basket:

Vegetable Half Share

1 small bunch of romaine lettuce
1 bunch of fresh mint
1 large bunch of kale
1 English cucumber
1 small bag of shitake mushrooms
3 tomatoes (I forgot to photograph!)
1 punnet of strawberries
1 bunch of garlic scape

Fruit Share

1 bunch of bananas
1 bunch of green grapes
4 oranges
1 punnet of strawberries.

That's right, we got not one but TWO containers of local organic strawberries! I am beyond excited.

Their Potential

Use the strawberries and fresh mint to whip up some of this refreshing ice cream.

Make your own chinese takeout fried rice using kale and mushrooms.

Lighten up your lunch with a salad using strawberries, romaine and a poppyseed dressing.

Change up your breakfast by making some orange marmalade. 

Tomato, cucumber and mint combine to create a tasty and simple side dish.

Brush the garlic scape with olive oil and throw it on the grill (re: Plan B Organics Newsletter)

Both this and that recipe will give you minty drinks that are perfect for summer.  

P.S. Is it obvious that I'm really excited about the mint?

Week 2: What's in our Basket?

We are now in week two of our CSA share from Plan B Organic Farm (if you're asking yourself "Week two of what? A CSA? What Basket?" you can refer back to this post to catch up!).  After a challenging couple weeks of experimenting with different ways of cooking some unfamiliar produce, we are very excited to try again with our new basket. Last time, our most challenging item was the kale. If you follow me on Instagram you may have noticed my attempt at kale chips - assuming I made them correctly, I am not a fan. Though we didn't knock that one out of the park we did enjoy the bok choy - grilled, with a simple lime vinaigrette - and it has become a new favourite vegetable in this house! The other produce was incorporated into our meals in a few different ways, and some were just snacks. This week's basket holds some of the same items as our previous one, but also includes the addition of some vegetables we have never used before, or even sure we like! Here is what's in our basket:

Vegetable Half Share:

1 bunch of romaine lettuce, 1 bunch of swiss chard, 1 (very large) bunch of kale, 1 small bunch of green onions, 1 bunch of asparagus, 1 bunch of radishes, 4 small potatoes, 1 red bell pepper, 

5 small tomatoes.

Fruit Share:

1 bunch of bananas, 6 oranges, 5 royal gala apples, 1 large bunch of grapes. 

Their Potential:

A twist on baked potatoes using the potatoes (obviously) and swiss chard.

Use the asparagus in a creamy baked risotto.

Stuff red peppers with kale using this healthy recipe.

With this salad, orange and kale compliment each other.

Add to your condiment collection by pickling the radishes.

Try making a grown-up grilled cheese with the grapes.

Add a treat to your tea with these banana scones.

What's in our Basket?

About a month ago I was doing some research on the farmer's markets available in my neighbourhood and the kinds of opportunities available for community gardening, since my housing situation doesn't

Source

have much of a yard. I spoke to a friend who used to have a small community plot, and they told me about how they used to have baskets of fresh produce from a local farm delivered straight to their doorstep every week. This got me excited. After a quick google search I discovered the wonders of Community Supported Agricultural and signed our family up for a share. Basically, we have paid for a share of a local organic farm's harvest over the next four months (we've signed up with Plan B Organic Farms). It helps us to not only eat seasonally and organically but also support our local economy and community.

We signed up for a bi-weekly half share and fruit share - meaning every other week we will receive 8-10 helpings of vegetables as well as 3-5 helpings of fruit. I like to think of it as a produce loot bag. We don't know exactly what we'll be getting, and we'll have to figure out how to use it, but that just gives us the fun challenge of recipe experimentation! Every other week I'll be sharing what comes in our basket and the recipe potential for the items included. So without further ado, here is what's in our basket:

Vegetable Half Share:
1 bunch of kale, 1 bunch of asparagus, 6 small potatoes, 1 English cucumber, 1 head of live Boston lettuce, 1 bunch of parsnips, 1 bunch of fresh oregano, 5 small bunches of bok choy, 1 bunch of green garlic

Fruit Share:
1 bunch of grapes, 1 small bunch of bananas, 3 valencia oranges, 8 royal gala apples           

Their Potential:

This green smoothie using the kale, bananas and cucumber.   

     

An Asian inspired salad using the bok choy. 

Follow these steps for dried oregano and store in a mason jar for extended use.

Use the parsnips and substitute the rutabaga for the potatoes in this root roast.

A take on this frittata recipe using the green garlic and asparagus.

Make either this or that apple crisp using the royal gala apples. 

Food Loves: Cottage Desserts

This was the first Easter I've been home for in about two years, and I kind of forgot what my family traditions are. Of course I remembered my favourite Easter candies - Cadbury mini eggs and Whopper Robin Eggs - but when it came to our meals I wasn't sure what we ate. Together my family drove up to Muskoka for the weekend and enjoyed the coziness of the fire and quiet surroundings. We didn't have a big Good Friday meal planned because our Easter dinner was being held on Saturday evening. However both my father and brother asked about dessert - "There's no pie?", "Is there chocolate or ice cream or anything?", "I can't believe there's no pie!" So my mother and I looked at what we had and decided to whip up a simple apple crisp. I loosely followed this recipe but cut it in half, and left out the bourbon, vanilla bean, browned-butter and almonds because of the ingredients we had on hand. It was simple and delicious and a great match to our movie by the fire. 

Since we only made enough apple crisp for the one night, another dessert was needed for our big Easter dinner (I say big, but we really cut down this year - I'm not eating meat and there's always too much turkey leftover so I had veggie lasagna and the family had roast chicken). To fulfill our dessert needs it was off to our favourite Rosseau bakery for the best homemade pies money could buy - and I really mean that. If you're not into pie but are in the area, you should try their butter tarts, they're award winning! We chose a bumbleberry pie, topped it with homemade whipped cream and it couldn't be better. Happy Easter!