Tiny but big

I really love the tiny house movement, the innovative storage, the thoughtful minimalism, and the idea of freeing yourself from stuff and freeing your time for experiences. But I struggle with the idea of feeling too enclosed, not having full ceiling heights, and generally being cramped.
So when I came upon this image today, I knew that there was a way to merge both small living and expansive airy interiors... And my tiny dream received new hope!

Source: Archdaily via CocoKelley

Actually the whole apartment merges tiny and expansive...

Source: Archdaily 

P.S. This apartment is in Prague. How wonderful would it be to move to a city like Prague for a year?

Pantry Granola

My boyfriend recently announced that he really liked Terra Bread's granola (given that before he met me he ate Lucky Charms every morning, I thought it was a huge success!) - So I decided to make some granola. 

When I started the grocery list for the granola, and decided to look through my pantry for what I had in stock. Well, my pantry was just a mess, with little bags of nuts and seeds everywhere. I couldn't tell you what kind of nut or grain things were, or how much I had of each.

So in true distracted fashion, I started to organize the pantry. I jumped right in, pulling all the bags out, all the larger containers that contained smaller bags, and all of the larger containers with baking basics (like flour)... My counter looked like the bulk section of the grocery just moved in. I found out that I had two jars of flour, 4 bags of walnuts, and endless types of rice that had the stale smell. 

I wasn't sure how to attack this, but then remembered this post about pantries decided to put items into jars (btw have you seen Michael Smith's pantry - loved it from the first days of Chef at Home). I had a few rules: 1) I would make sure the jar was bigger than the amount of the item I currently had 2) I would not put more than one item in one jar (nothing like having to sift through bags within a jar to make you not want to grab the item. 3) Use as many jars I had around the house  4) Label the jars.

My ideal pantry

Well all was going well, until ran out of jars. My desire to have a clean pantry NOW overruled my MariKondo's suggestion to only use what you have in your house and went out to buy mason jars. I bought 12 - 1L jars, and 12 - 500mL jars. It was a bit overkill but 12 was the minimum quantity to buy... But having jars of the same volume are brilliant, because then I can estimate exactly how much of each item I have left!

Love these magnetic labels!

So I came back home and finished organizing my pantry items. It was amazing the satisfaction!

Further, I found great uses of the mason jars I didn't use for the pantry - I was able to bring soup to work today, store cilantro in the fridge, make layered salads. It was like these jars changed my life (okay, maybe an exaggeration), but I feel like the Jar possibilities are endless!

Needless to say all this organizing was exhausting, and I had to take a break before actually making granola. A long break. I didn't get back to making granola until 8pm! But when I did it was easy, all of the seeds and nuts I needed where easy to grab and measure out. It took me less than 25 minutes to mix everything and put it in the oven. 

So here is my pantry granola recipe. I based it on a combination of these two recipes (Easy Morning Granola and Terra Bread's Artisan Granola) plus some extra stuff that I had just 'found' in my pantry! 

Pantry Granola

Ingredients

• 7 cups large flake rolled oats
• 3/4 cup wheat germ (remove if you would like it gluten free)
• 1/3 cup ground flax seed (did you know that we cannot absorb the nutrients of flaxseeds unless the are ground? - I was told by a nutritionist to check my poop if I want proof - they come out whole!)
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (making sure it's flakes is important - if I can't find flakes then I don't include the coconut - but that's because I like the texture and distinct coconut flavour, not small coconut pieces flavouring every bite!)
• 1 cup raw almonds (coarsely chopped if you would like - or whole)
• 1 cup raw pecans or walnuts (I don't like both of them together, so just go with whichever one you have in your pantry!)
• 1 cup raw cashews (coarsely chopped if you would like - or whole)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (optional)
• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds 
• 1-2 cups of any combination of the following - raisins, dried cranberries (sweetened), quartered apricots, dates (I'm not the hugest fan of dates, but I do love apricots - again just use whatever you have in the pantry)
• 1/2 - 1 cup of goji berries (optional - make sure to add just at the end of cooking)

A rule of thumb is that I like to have equal parts rolled oats and other items, sometimes I make it a 6-7 rule, so 6 cups of other stuff and 7 cups of rolled oats. 

• 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt (I exclude this a lot of the time)
• 2/3 - 3/4 cup coconut oil or butter or vegetable oil
• 1-2 Tablespoons of ground cinnamon
• 2 Tablespoons of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of maple syrup, or honey, or brown sugar (more or less depending on how sweet you like it)

So it seems like this is less of a recipe and more like an outline for a recipe. But as the name suggests, it's kind of like your grandma's recipe that says 'empty the fridge', so have fun with it! 

Step 1 - Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees F and grease 2-3 baking sheets (make sure they can all fit into your oven)

Step 2 - Put 1/2 of the dry ingredients in one bowl and the other half in another (because at this size, you can't fit the whole recipe in one bowl - unless you have a supersize bowl! Make sure to not include the goji berries at this time

Step 3 -  Melt / mix the oil (fat) and the sugar in a saucepan on med-low heat, until melted, mixed and runny in texture

Step 4 - Remove liquid mixture from heat and add vanilla, cinnamon and salt 

Step 5 - Pour liquid mixture over bowls mixing between pours, depending on how coated you would like the granola

Step 6 - Put in pre-greased baking pans and bake at 300 degrees F (no higher) for 30-40 minutes, add goji berries with 15 minutes left (or else they'll burn)

Step 7 - Take out of oven, let cool and then put into jars and back into your pantry! 

So delicious! I put it on yogurt, overnight oats, with milk, and sometimes just eat it as a snack!

Shifting Baselines

In mid December I found my Fitbit - a gift from last Christmas, I lost it early in the year... But it was hiding in my button box (where I keep buttons give to you when you buy a piece of clothing - which after the organizing post should be disposed of as per the MariKondo method).

Well, I found it, finally almost 10 months later, and I started to use it. And while I recognize that it will likely loose it's luster after a while, for the moment I am really enjoying it. Having something that tracks your steps, especially when working at an office job really keeps up accountable. I honestly believe I take 1/2 the steps I think I do...

Anecdotal evidence so far: On the days that I wear the Fitbit I walk further to get lunch, I make plans to walk somewhere rather than drive, and I have actively been adding activity back into my life. 

A couple of Thursdays ago I forgot I was wearing my Fitbit, and at 3pm, I had only satisfied 1/5 of my dots - so I had walked less than 3,000 steps!

Has anyone heard the saying shifting baselines? It's a term that's typically used when comparing changes in items over time. I initially heard of it in a in science context where the reference point in which you are measuring against also changes. Then incremental changes don't appear that shocking or large because they are always comparing them to a new baseline (for example like fish populations only decreased 5% since last year, but if that happens over 10 years your fish population has decreased by 40%). 

From Mission Blue

I believe this also happens in our own lives, year after year certain things can fall away unless we take note. New years is always a good time to remember, but for many of us the idea of having a New Year's resolution is too cliche. For me becoming more sedentary has been a noticeable decline. I can't pinpoint when it started but several years after removing it from my focus, I can see a significant difference in my activity level from 5 years ago. And as my baseline decreases, so does my overall fitness.

So if nothing else, I hope that this FitBit helps me maintain my baseline, and will hopefully reverse the recent decline of it!

Organizing Makes me Happy

In pursuit of meeting my goals I've been focusing on figuring out what makes me happy. I find the exercise quite difficult because a lot of things make me happy. So I have turned my attention to what makes me unhappy and try and remedy those. One thing I've noticed that causes significant angst is a messy and disorganized home. 

So I read the book that has been popping up everywhere "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" and I have fallen for the KonMari Method hook line and sinker. What she says just makes so much sense, and outlines what I imagine is a more thoughtful life.  

I read the book this September and didn't allow myself to start cleaning because I didn't have time and wanted to dedicate more than one day to the efforts (Mari says that this process should take about 6 months!) So I started in October, a transition month sounded like the right time to start. 

So we are now three weeks through November, and I have only successfully gotten through organizing my shirts, pants, dresses and as of yesterday, my undergarments. This process is much slower, mentally harder and emotionally draining than I anticipated. 

So here is the recap of where I am:

So I started on a late Saturday morning... I thought I was ready, but I was a bit tired, and not in the most decisive mood. So it started by piling all of my shirts in the middle of my living room. First of all, I was shocked to see how many shirts I actually owned. The pile almost made me feel ill, thinking about how we really only need a few shirts. All the rest are completely frivolous in order to satisfy a vein need to enhance myself. I realize that for me, having these clothes is almost admitting that I don't like the person underneath enough, that I need to snaz myself up... 

Ignoring these inner thoughts I started to pull of each piece of clothing and ask if it sparked joy... well I can tell you, a lot of items I own, don't spark joy, I actually don't even really like them - I just like that they covered some aspect of body that I didn't like. I wasn't even using clothes as a personal expression of style, I was literally trying to hide myself. I could have probably thrown out another 50% of my wardrobe, but I work 5 days, and well i need at least 5 shirts for work! And I am not willing to go out any buy more stuff. 

Then I found this whole section of clothes that did spark joy, the idea of them sparked joy. They were my romantic, bohemian style clothes, that I didn't wear, and while I loved looking at them, when I wore them didn't spark joy (because they didn't fit the way I 'wanted' them to). It was so hard to let go of this whole section of my wardrobe, because I was convinced that if I kept those clothes then I was still a romantic bohemian, which all who know me, know that is not true. I am an A-type, tom boy, jock who is still in denial. 

So three hours later (and many breaks) I was only 1/2 way through the pile! The KonMari Method was going to take me years at this point! I picked myself up and tried to make decisions on the last ones, but I had left the hardest ones until the end. So each decision included putting it on, holding it, looking for holes... all things that I think are illegal in the KonMari Method. The second 1/2 of the pile took me another 2 hours. 

So 5 hours down, and clothes everywhere... and having only eaten graham wafer crackers and marshmallows I realized I had to devise a plan so that this process would improve into the future. 

So more than a month later here are the key aspects to assess in order to be more efficient!

Here is the list:

1. Research where I can donate and what to donate before I start sorting/discarding my items. This is personally important because I wanted to make sure that my clothes would not just go in the garbage (which I have learned they sometimes do - which I will elaborate on in another post)  I also found out that it is important to prepare my items for donation. Nicely folded, hung clothes definitely have a better chance of being accepted... 
2. Realize that this is not the first time I'll go through my stuff. I'll likely repeat this process another 2-3 times before I can get down to 'enough stuff' - speaking of which have you heard of the 30 item wardrobe? Trying it out for a month may help me realize I don't really need more than 30 items!
3. Show up with the right mood/energy - I was tired and not particularly decisive that day, I should have recognized it and waited until I had one of those go get 'em days
4. Play music, fun, energetic, bubbly music - I want to make this as fun and high energy as possible because it is draining - and I'll be repeating it several times, so I want positive associations
5. I don't need a whole day to KonMari my house. If I prep my items into the small sub-categories I need to organize I can do small portions one evening at a time, while I'm not sure it's exactly what KonMari had in mind, I think it will help me feel like the task is less daunting, and attack it piece by piece
6. Get rid of the stuff as soon as possible - i left my stuff out and when my mom was visiting she convinced me to keep a few item... Which I still haven't worn!

Since doing this cleaning, I have definitely been thinking about it a lot and dreaming about the day when I have completed it. But I think I have to focus more on the process, and less on the result. I think just having a clean house isn't the benefit of this, it's learning how to let things go, how to figure out what I really want and how to shape my life to focus in on what is important. 

I'm now re-energized and excited to provide update number two!

If only....

The last few weeks have been quite tough. But I really believe that struggles provide us moments to stop and examine ourselves...Hopefully taking a pause makes us stronger for the future. Even if in the moment it definitely doesn't feel that way!

There are a few themes that have been reoccurring in my thoughts lately - They definitely relate to finding what makes me happy and outdoors. Two of my H2 goals. 

First, let's set the stage a bit. Friday was a rough day, I was at a pretty low point - living on very little sleep, dealing with a lot of work stress (and performing poorly), and not dealing with some loss that had occurred the week prior.  I went home and to bed post work meetings, and then returned to work for a strategy meeting where I managed, against my better judgement to say some thoughts very inelegantly that were probably better not said. So Friday night was full of exhaustion, shame, feeling of inadequacy and grieving. I had very little control of my thoughts or feelings. My view of the future was very very bleak. 

Theme 1: Nature's healing power
But on Saturday, despite a poor Friday nights sleep, I went for a hike with my family. While the weather was rainy, cold and windy and we hit mud and snow on the trail...it was an amazing hike. As you can see from the photos, it was not awe-inspiring, but the action of being in nature was so cleansing and rejuvenating. I felt the trees take my negative thoughts and feelings and send back positivity and optimism, just like they do with our breath. I wanted to hug the trees and thank them for all the healing they preformed. By the end of the hike I was my usually talkative, happy self. I was cold, and wet and my feet hurt, but it was fabulous.  

Blistery on Burstall Pass

The hike make me even more sure that nature really does make me happy, not just a superficial happy, but a deep down feeding of the soul happy. It takes ones soul to be really banged up to have you realize how much a day amongst the trees and mountains and open skies really does create strength deep within. All feels okay when I'm in nature. 

Theme 2: Connecting
After the hike, two of my very dear girlfriends met me for drinks and dinner. It was so amazing to connect and talk with two intelligent, thoughtful ladies. I felt so isolated for the past week, that having moments to share my fears, sorrows, and dreams with others that truly care took such a weight off of my shoulders. (and funny enough putting them down on here does a similar thing) Instead of thinking "I'm the only one, no one will understand, I can never get out" I left the evening thinking that we all have struggles and that it is all manageable. It's just called life. 

Theme 3: There Are No Short Cuts
This is definitely something that I knew all along, but it never really hit me until recently. I have been struggling with my skin. It turns red, is splotchy and generally quite sensitive. I thought going to a specialist getting this special cream etc... would help me with my issue. I thought it was a 'condition' but last week, with the wonderful creams and a doctor having me on a strict regiment, my skin was still terrible. I am seeing that it's not going to be a quick fix. My skin reacts to the way I treat my body. Lack of sleep, water, and stress show. So a path to clear skin is more in my lifestyle than in my cream. There are no magic creams. It all comes down to fundamentals. Realizing this with my skin is something I can also translate into health, lifestyle, work... everything. 

But then I wonder - how can I have it all? The answer is editing. Pick the most important things and don't stress the rest. I've heard it before, but making that list of 'top - top priorities' is probably the most difficult thing I have to do. 

Theme 4: No More Struggles Than The Next Guy
One of these amazing girls that I had dinner with said something that made me take a moment. We have no more struggles than the next person. I definitely fall into this trap. With a demanding job, I constantly say - if I had more time, if I exercised more, if I... then I would be happier. But really, I have no more constraints on my life than anyone else. I'm healthy, physically able and definitely have been provided with the most amazing opportunities to do what I would like... So the only thing in the "if I..." that is stopping me from that happiness is the I. There is not going to be an Aha! moment when I finally become happy. There are always going to be constraints on time, money, people... And everyone has the same constrains (well many have more, but of the people around me), so the difference between the person who is seemingly happy next to me and me, is me. No more excuses. My life is no harder than anyone else, I should stop trying to make it seem that way and use it as a crutch to achieving happiness. 

So those are the things I have been thinking about lately. I'm sure I haven't had enough time to flush them out, but over the next few weeks, I'm sure I'll keep on thinking through them. Hopefully with the help of a few good friends xo

No short cuts. One step at a time

August Angst

Now that it is September, I can write this post - while I'm in my August 'state' there is really no point to talk about it... I only grow more angry! But thankfully August and the angst has past. 

Around the middle of August, I tend to get antsy, have angst and am generally kind of angry, I'm angry at the weather for not being super hot, I'm angry at the sun setting earlier, I'm angry at work that is keeping me indoors, I'm angry that people won't drop everything to go outside with me, but mostly I'm just angry at myself. I always feel like I have not done enough in the summer and disappointed for not making the most of the warm, long days.

I can't decide if this is a normal reaction to the closing of flip flop season or if it is actually a function of actually not getting my plans together and not fulfilling my outdoor summer desires? Even this summer, which found most of my weekends since the beginning of June booked and out of town, I'm still feeling this August syndrome. So it may just be the natural reaction to an all too fast transition into winter (last year it snowed on September 9th!). And it may be the natural reaction, but I'm not going to accept it, just yet. 

But what does one do to avoid this angst and anger and enjoy the last few weeks of the season? I have tried booking vacations at the end of August, planning for winter, and diving into work, but none of those things have abated this feeling. 

To be honest, even when on summer holidays, they don't feel as good as summer vacations should, or as how I remembered them. So what am I doing wrong? I'm at the cabin, the water is warm, the weather is nice, but it just doesn't feel right. What is the missing piece? 

Cabin time this year. Beautiful, but in need of some adventure.

What made summer vacation so special when I was younger?... It was that I was able to do things I couldn't do the rest of the year. I would build forts in the forest, go tubing and water skiing and play kick the can with all of my cousins, staying up late and having wayyy too many marshmallows. It was the adventure. Summers will filled with adventures - biking to random destinations, back country hikes, kayaking between islands I didn't know existed a week prior. Adventures. Check. I need more of them. Problem solved. 

But is it just adventures? I also remember people (one can't play kick the can by ones self!), large groups of family and friends together laughing, sharing stories, food, drinks... 

So maybe the answer is adventures with friends/family. Which, in our hectic world means planning ahead. So maybe for me avoid August Angst desire will involve more adventures, and more friends/family more planning! 

I'm going to test this theory and head out to the mountains in September for a moderately epic trip with a friend and see how I feel after that. And if there's positive feedback, then let the adventure planning for summer and winter begin in order to avoid this August angst. Besides I hear angst is not good for ones heart! 

  

The World in Watercolour

I haven't posted in a long time (clearly not achieving my goals). It all started when I didn't think I had anything to post about, I honestly thought that there was nothing post worthy going on in my life or in my head... but as the deadline came and went, I realized I there were several items I wanted to share! It's interesting how so often when we quickly look back at a week and see nothing inspiring, or interesting, or at all noteworthy but in reality there are so many activities or thoughts that are worth additional reflection, if only we give ourselves time to reflect. 

This week I want to talk about one of my (many) recent fixations: Water based art. Both 'by the sea' type art as well as watercolours. There is something about the light, breeziness, and whimsical nature of these pieces that really draw me in. I think they signify a bit of an escape - from the routine, from the grid of the city and from having to keep everything 'inside the lines'

Here are some of my favs:

For the wall:

I recently purchased this piece from Danielle Aquiline and love the soft edges, water colours and random pattern of people

Marta Spendowska's paintings remind me of geology class where we would have to look at thin sections of rocks and some of them looked like this. Art imitating nature? I also love the sense of fluidity in the images

Max Wagner is the master of the water shots. He has some similar to Danielle's above as well. I also bought this one from him a while ago, and absolutely love it

For the table:

Red Raven Studio's dinnerware is so fabulous, it may not be watercolour technique (I have no clue!), but it makes me think of watercolour paintings and the deep blue totally mimics our deep Canadian lakes

Yao Cheng has amazing piece of artwork, but I just love the tea towels, they really add some colour to a kitchen without having to make a long-term bet on your colour tastes 20 years from now!

While not the kitchen table, this would be amazing on my desk, love the mixture of geometric shapes with watercolours, it really softens up the pattern

All this talk of water makes me want to jump in a lake! And it's only Monday....

Keener

Well I'm one day early on this blog post. That is a first for me. Although it does mean that I am delaying other things, so kind of a net net. But still meeting a deadline before the deadline is definitely a novelty around here...

Unfortunately this post will definitely fall on the 'less inspiring', but it's still a good touch base for the goals. So how has this week gone? Well can I tell you, my goals are conflicting. For example this weekend, I definitely picked the take time for myself over be outdoors.

I had all these plans to do great outdoor activities on Sunday, but then it was kind of drizzling in the am, so I started to read... not clean, not fix stuff but take time for myself. It was lovely, until I looked up, it was sunny outside and it was 2:00pm. 2:00pm!! I had definitely missed the boat on a larger outdoor activity that day. (I did make it out for a walk/run with my dog, who seemed to refuse to go faster than a doggy trot.)

On a positive note, I was outside for most of the day on Saturday and slept for 9+ hours on Saturday night.  So I think I checked a few of the goals off for the week. I'm definitely going to try and keep some consistency in this, since I didn't get to bed too early during the week!

I've also noticed that one thing that makes me happy is having a clean house, it doesn't have to be clean to most people's standards, but neat, and with items in their place (I am only mentioning this because its definitely not this way now). I typically only clean when it gets dire or when I have guests over, but I'd really like to have anyone pop by whenever and have it in a state I would be proud to show to anyone. I'm not sure how I am going to do this, since I have a natural habit of dropping things rather than placing them carefully where they belong, as well most of my messes occur when I'm in a rush, or popping in and out. Which happens more often than not. So I imagine a clean house will be more of a reflection on a larger lifestyle change than just a small change in my house tidying activity. But none the less, it's going on my goals list! Let's see if I'll have as many positive things to report on next week as this!

Back with Goals

Well, 4 years later, and I here I am. Writing again. 4 years ago, I quit my engineering job, packed up my ocean view Vancouver apartment, sold all of my furniture and my beloved Jetta, Charlotte, said so long (but not farewell) to many beloved friends and moved east to Toronto to embark on a new challenge - My MBA. Fast forward 4 years and I am 2 years post-MBA living in my first house (still rented) in Calgary working in the finance sector. It seems like things are so much different, and they are, but at the same time, they aren't. I still struggle to figure out what is important to me, how to manage work/life/goals/morals and values while still fitting into society's structure. I'm happy to note that many topics I wrote here 4+ years ago still resonate today. But fulfilling those ideas still pose a challenge. So I am back to continue this journey.

Talking to a close friend last night, she discussed her method for acting purposefully this year. She established goals and PUBLICLY shared them. I was blown away by the dedication and the willingness to expose this vulnerability.

She has clearly inspired me to take steps in the same direction. So here we go:

H2 2015 Goals

1. Blog once a week - It doesn't have to be long. It doesn't have to be inspiring. Hopefully it will allow me a moment to explore topics that peak my interest
2. Sleep - Get more of it. Make it a priority. Go to bed earlier. This is probably something I struggle with the most. 
3. Be outdoors - I heard a quote this morning, perfect timing: "We are better outdoors". So simple, So true. "I've never seen someone with trail rage, but I definitely have personally experienced road rage."
4. Take time. For myself. Make it a priority.
5. Recognize what makes me happy. Do it with abandon and without judgement. 

So that's it. 1 - 4 probably meet the SMART goal setting guidelines. 5 will be a be more difficult. But I'll definitely know every time I achieve that one... I'll have a huge smile.

I'm excited for the next 6 months!

A beautiful Winter Room

It has been a while since my last post, and many things have changed in my life since then... I am now living in Toronto and going to school... And with that comes a new apartment. It has been fun trying to decorate a place with only hand me downs (serious, the only piece of furniture I have bought so far is my bed).

Here is a room that has me inspired. Stunning muted colours, and layers of textures. It makes me want to stop studying and start white washing the chair I found on the street this weekend!

Pretty Petals

Speaking of Bees

This bee post brings us slightly below the hairline… to the ears.  I read a little while ago that a study out of India correlated the decline in bees with the increase of cell phone usage.  It’s not to difficult to believe that the radio waves coming from mobile phones are disrupting bees’ navigational abilities. 

If more studies support this theory, I will have to think twice before making a call on my mobile.  I can’t imagine a world without bees (well, I don’t think there would be much of a living world!)

On a positive note, there is a chance that we can change the frequency of the radio waves so that they don’t impede the worker bees’ ability to find the hive. 

 

Via Flickr - Wolfpix

Style forward, comb back

So on several of my periodic scans of the online NY Times Global edition, the right column kept on bombarding me with the new hairstyle…. the Beehive!  I couldn’t be happier, I have longed for the days when I could create ridiculous volume and still have it back and away from my face!  Besides I really loved the 50s and 60s.  Now if only I could learn how to make one that doesn’t look like Amy Winehouse!

Jennifer Lopez rocks it.

So does Katherine Heigl

And of course so does the NY Times Model

I seriously think I am going to go home and try this tonight… I’ll let you know how it goes, it will either be Mad Men here I come, or conditioner here I purchase…

Burlap Ready!

Did I mention that I am going to be a bridesmaid?  Well I am!  Now that I am back in the city, I’m really excited for the prep and planning, although it is less than a month away!  Today the bride to be and I went to go pick up the burlap we are going to use for the table centers, 42 yards!  I love the use of burlap in fall weddings, the material is so rustic and natural, and brings in a wonderful texture.  Together they will make the wedding venue a much more comfortable and homey feel!

 

Via Style me Pretty

 

Via Ruffle Blog

I have never been to a burlap ‘factory’ before and it smelt very farm like.  I wish I took pictures but it was great!  Burlap fluff everywhere and piles and piles of  wonderful burlap!  You also know that burlap is popular when Apple was considering using it :)

PS – if you are looking for Burlap in the Vancouver area Burnaby Bag and Burlap was very helpful and friendly!

Oldie but Goodie

It seems like I like my original blog template is the best.  Despite spending most of the morning trying to find another one, I have decided to return to my initial set up.  It is slightly different then before but the feeling is still the same.  Hopefully with my template back to normal and my newly downloaded windows live writer, I will actually blog more frequently.  I realized over dinner with my girlfriends on Sunday night, that I didn’t stop blogging because I didn’t have anything to write about, however I didn’t have the time or patience to spend hours editing the posts, and well that is just not a good enough reason to stop blogging!

So I have decided to give blogging one last try.  It’s not going to be a daily blog, but I will try and post weekly.  Post topics will be whatever my heart desires, and unfortunately not only discuss design, there will be more personal content and probably a lot more random thoughts!  I’m excited to have this new found freedom.  I hope that inspiration will flow more freely then it has in the past 6 months!!

So, welcome to the new Free Form. I hope you enjoy.

Recipes to remember

So I might have spent most of the day watching cooking shows... And there were a lot of great recipes that I don't want to forget!! So here they are:

English Onion Soup - Jamie Oliver

· A good knob of butter
· Olive oil
· A good handful of fresh sage leaves, 8 leaves reserved for serving
· 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
· 5 red onions, peeled and sliced
· 3 large white onions, peeled and sliced
· 3 banana shallots, peeled and sliced
· 300g of leeks, trimmed, washed and sliced
· Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
· 2 litres of good-quality hot beef, chicken or vegetable stock
· 8 slices of good-quality stale bread, 2cm thick
· 200g freshly grated cheddar cheese
· Worcestershire sauce

Put the butter, 2 glugs of olive oil, the sage and garlic into a thick-bottomed, non-stick pan. Stir everything round and add the onions, shallots and leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Place a lid on the pan, leaving it slightly ajar, and cook slowly for 50 minutes, without colouring the vegetables too much. Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes - your onions will become soft and golden. Stir occasionally so that nothing catches on the bottom. Having the patience to cook the onions slowly, slowly, gives you an incredible sweetness and an awesome flavour, so don't be tempted to speed this bit up.

When your onions and leeks are lovely and silky, add the stock. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. You can skim any fat off the surface if you like, but I prefer to leave it because it adds good flavour.

Preheat the oven or grill to maximum. Toast your bread on both sides. Correct the seasoning of the soup. When it's perfect, ladle it into individual heatproof serving bowls and place them on a baking tray. Tear toasted bread over each bowl to fit it like a lid. Feel free to push and dunk the bread into the soup a bit. Sprinkle with some grated Cheddar and drizzle over a little Worcestershire sauce.

Dress your reserved sage leaves with some olive oil and place one on top of each slice of bread. Put the baking tray into the preheated oven or under the grill to melt the cheese until bubbling and golden. Keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't burn! When the cheese is bubbling, very carefully lift out the tray and carry it to the table. Enjoy.

Balsamic Roasted Potatoes and Onions - Jamie Oliver

1.5kg medium-size waxy potatoes (such as Charlotte), peeled and quartered lengthways
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
200g butter, cubed
a bunch of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
1 whole bulb of garlic, quartered or smashed
5 medium red onions, peeled and quartered
350ml cheap balsamic vinegar
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Put the potatoes into a pan of boiling, salted water and cook for about eight minutes, then drain and return to the pan. Chuff them up a bit by shaking the pan.
Get a roasting tray, into which you can fit the potatoes in one layer, and heat it on the hob. When hot, pour a glug of olive oil into it and add the butter, rosemary and garlic. Add the potatoes and toss them in all the flavours. Add the onions and all the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Cook for five minutes on the hob to reduce the balsamic vinegar a little. Place the tray on the top shelf and cook for about 50 minutes, until the potatoes and onions are dark, sticky and crispy - removing the tray to toss the onions and potatoes halfway through. After an hour, the meat should be cooked. Prick it with a sharp knife - if the juices run clear, it's done; if not, pop it back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes, keeping the potatoes warm.

Salmon Cakes - Giada De Laurentiis

Salmon:
1 pound skinless salmon fillet (see Cook's Note)
Olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Patties:
large egg, beaten
1/3 cup (1/2-ounce) chopped fresh chives

26 saltine crackers, crushed, divided
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons mayonnaise, plus more, as needed
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Sauce:
1/2 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons capers, rinsed, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Salmon: Put a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle the salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill until the flesh is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork, about 6 to 8 minutes on each side. Set aside to cool for 20 minutes.

Patties: Using a fork, flake the salmon into 1/2-inch pieces and put into a medium bowl. Add the egg, chives, 1/2 of the crushed crackers, the corn, mustard, mayonnaise, capers, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix gently until just combined. Form the mixture into 2 1/2-inch diameter patties, about 3/4 inches thick. (If the mixture is too dry to form into patties, add extra mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon at a time,) Carefully coat the patties in the remaining crushed crackers and refrigerate for 1 hour. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until golden and crispy, about 7 to 8 minutes each side. Drain on paper towels.

Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, capers, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Arrange the salmon cakes on a platter and serve alongside the sauce.

Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese Penne - Giada De Laurentiis

· Vegetable oil cooking spray
· 1 (2-pound) butternut or kombucha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
· 1 onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
· Olive oil, for drizzling
· Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
· 1 pound penne pasta
· 1 cup (8 ounces) goat cheese, crumbled
· 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted (see Cook's Note)
· 1 packed cup chopped fresh basil leaves
· 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan

Directions
Put an oven rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet, liberally, with vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside.
Mix the squash and onion together and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for to 40 to 45 minutes until the vegetables are golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

While the squash mixture is cooling, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 2 cups of the pasta water. Put the pasta, goat cheese and 1 cup of pasta water in a large serving bowl. Toss until the cheese has melted and forms a creamy sauce. Add the squash and onion mixture, the walnuts and the basil. Toss well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with Parmesan and serve.