Archive for July, 2012

travel tuesday :: continents

travel tuesday :: continents

When I looked at the calendar in preparation of this week’s travel tuesday, I couldn’t believe that it is already July 31st! Where does the time go?

So, to celebrate this last day in the 7th month of the year that I went to my 7th continent, I present to you: “Travel Tuesday :: Continents Edition”. A selection of images from around the world (dates below). Enjoy!

From top to bottom:

  1. North America (Brooklyn Bridge), taken November 3, 2011 on film
  2. South America (Southwest Bolivia), taken March 28, 2009 on a Canon P&S
  3. Europe (Romania), taken October 10, 2004, on a cute little Sony P&S
  4. Asia (Angkor Wat), taken on August 5, 2004, on a cute little Sony P&S
  5. Africa (The Junction, Zambia), taken on October 4, 2008, on a Canon P&S
  6. Australasia (Whitsundays), taken on December 24, 2008, on a Canon 30D
  7. Antarctic Peninsula, taken on February 2, 2012, on a Canon 5D Mark II
July 31, 2012 0 comments Read More
fennel napa cabbage slaw

fennel napa cabbage slaw

On Friday I told you a bit about the weekly farm box that comes to our home full of healthy, farm fresh veggies. I also told you that this vegetable delivery sometimes makes me have to think a bit outside of the box.

For instance: Vancouver crept into summer this year and the first week of the program we received a box full of mystery greens. Dandelion greens, mustard greens, horseradish greens, some edible flowers, other various mystery greens and a gigantic lettuce. After having a little #firstworldproblems style meltdown wondering what on earth I got myself into, we made interesting flavourful salads and stirfrys and topped off the week with a delicious dandelion green soup. Three years ago, I never would have imagined those worlds coming out of my fingertips.

And more recently week after week after week of fennel bulbs. And I don’t really like fennel. But every week, without fail, a fennel bulb (complete with stalks and leafs) arrives at our home, ready to be eaten. We’ve had mini pies with fennel, pizza with fennel, roasted potatoes with fennel, and most recently a delicious (and super quick to prepare) fennel-napa cabbage-apple slaw.

The other flavours—especially the sesame oil—toned down the fennel flavour so much in this slaw so that I really enjoyed it. The inspiration recipe also included cashews (which I simply forgot to add, but would have been the perfect “finishing” feature for this delicious slaw, making it one-dish-lunch-worthy).

Napa Cabbage, Green Apple & Fennel Slaw

Inspired by this recipe.

Ingredients
Slaw

  • 1/2 head thinly sliced Napa cabbage
  • 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
  • 1 green apple, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews, coarsely chopped

Dressing

  • 1/8 cup cold-pressed olive oil
  • 1 large, juicy Meyer lemon
  • A few drops of sesame oil
  • Coarsely ground sea salt
  • Freshly cracked pepper

Directions

  1. In a deep salad bowl, toss together the cabbage, fennel, apple slices, green onions and cashews.
  2. In a small container, whisk together the remaining ingredients; season to taste. Add more lemon juice, if desired.
  3. Drizzle over the slaw ingredients and toss. Eat immediately.

July 30, 2012 0 comments Read More
farm box/csa

farm box/csa

One of the most interesting (and healthy) things that we are doing this summer is eating a ton of fresh local organic vegetables. The best way to do this? Why through a farm box (or community supported agriculture/csa) program of course!

We’ve signed up with Crisp Organics (formerly the Arkestyeyn-Vogler Family Farm) from Abbotsford, run by a friend of mine from law school. Each Wednesday, we pick up of box full of farm fresh veggies that has been delivered to a convenient location in Kits (they’ve got a few other pick up points in the city and one in Abbotsford, as well). It’s always a gamble, and has made me cook with all sorts of delicious vegetables that I’ve never even laid eyes on before! (Mouth-watering kohlrabi, anyone?)

All of our veggies are delicious, fresh and organic. And for $25 per week for a medium box, they are a great value! And if you want more information on the farm box, send me an email, I’ll be happy to answer questions and put you in touch with the farm!

This week’s box:

July 27, 2012 2 comments Read More
mini project :: coasters

mini project :: coasters

Last June (…the 2011 June…) I posted about my very first Pinterest inspired craft: coasters! That was just a sneak peak and I promised I’d put a tutorial up soon. Unfortunately, in some France-induced excitement last summer, I deleted my memory card and lost all the step-by-step images. But, never fear… yesterday I undertook project “Coasters Take II”. This time I downloaded my images before I had the chance to delete them. This time I also, somewhat appropriately, used beer labels from our around the world beer label collection!

The bottom four images are the labels I selected for this project. I love the colour and style of the African beer labels! I selected: Safari Beer (Tanzania), Mosi Beer (Zambia), Tusker Beer (Kenya) and Kilimanjaro Beer (also Tanzania).

And it’s easy! All you need is 4×4 ceramic tiles from your local hardware store, Mod Podge (or DIY Mod Podge), a paint brush or foam brush, art for your coasters (pictures, beer labels, leafs, whatever you dream up), felt and craft glue. Polyurathane or Polycrylic is optional!

Step 1: Paint the tile with a thin layer of Mod Podge, place your art in the desired location then cover with a second thin layer of Mod Podge. Let dry for 15-20 minutes.

Step 2: Apply a second (and third, and fourth, and fifth) thin coat of Mod Podge to the tile.

Step 3: (optional): Apply 1-2 coats of a poly finish (I find this helps the coasters be less sticky).

Step 4: Once final coat (of either mod podge or poly) is dry, cut out 3.5″x3.5″ squares of felt, apply craft glue (I prefer the box + x method) and glue to the bottom of the ceramic tiles.

Step 5: Enjoy your newly made coasters! Easy-peasy.

July 26, 2012 0 comments Read More
travel “tuesday” :: sunshine coast

travel “tuesday” :: sunshine coast

Travel “Tuesday” this week is on a “Tuesday” because my little computer was sick and in the hospital on Monday and Tuesday morning. Trackpad problems. But no worries, she’s back and working better than ever!

As I mentioned on Monday, this past weekend we photographed a beautiful wedding on the Sunshine Coast. And the second best part? Mini-vacation. The Sunshine Coast of British Columbia is beautiful quintessential West Coast. Only 40 minutes by ferry from Horseshoe Bay and you feel like you’ve arrived in another world.

The wedding was at Rockwater Secret Cove Resort, we stopped in Sechelt on the way up, and stayed at a cute little B&B (complete with private hot tub) in Gibsons. Not a bad way to spend a post wedding morning. And despite the cloudy images, the Sunshine Coast lived up to its name and the weather cleared Saturday afternoon for the wedding.

Also, while my computer was in the hospital and I couldn’t work or procrastinate, this happened. 13 hours of this…

More details to come soon, friends!

July 25, 2012 0 comments Read More
lovin’ it :: ho hey

lovin’ it :: ho hey

Every time the Bing Hawaii commercial comes on I do a little jig at my excitement from the song. So imagine my delight when my wonderful couple this weekend selected it as their walking up the aisle song. I refrained myself from doing a jig, but I did come directly home to figure out just what it was (Ho Hey, by the Lumineers). I’ve been playing it steady since!

Happy Monday Friends:

July 23, 2012 0 comments Read More