My Weblog

Outside!

When the cold weather first arrived Liam did not want to go outside. It was such a drastic change from the summer when we were out the door first thing in the morning, home for a nap, then back outside until dinner. He says no every time we suggest going outside. For the last month I accepted that we would be indoors more and that would mean we would have to find more creative activities. But this past week I have felt stir crazy and Liam started wining if I didn't let him watch a DVD, Bambi being his latest obsession. Sure he laughs at Thumper, I fast forward the hunter scenes and he loves Bambi, but I don't want TV being an active part of our life, winter or not. So I have been pushing for outside, despite his protests, and he ends up having a fantastic time. We made great use of this unused tennis court the other day, we must have played in it for over an hour and I couldn't get him to leave. Then yesterday we left the house for a walk at 9 am or so and returned home briefly, then went back outside for an afternoon with a good friend of mine, returning home at 4:45. We spent the better part of the day meandering, playing at the park, walking the seawall... It felt so good to be out in the rosy weather and to see him enjoying himself again. I just can't imagine a winter of being inside, it's not going to happen! 

Study

Today marks 2 more weeks until my Yoga training is complete. I am torn. I don't want it to end because I love the exponential learning, and the group of women I have been sharing my time with, as well as the amount of Yoga I have been doing. On the other hand I really want to start teaching and would like to get my feet wet. There has been tons of studying and practical work, and at times I have been overwhelmed by it, but it always seems to come back to a balance. Anyway, I'm hoping to really enjoy these next 2 weeks and get as much out of it as possible.

101 Cookbooks Lemony Chickpea Stir-fry

Pardon my horribly lit photo. I was in a hurry, and it was late, so there was no natural light coming through the windows. 

This is a super delicious, really nutritious, and really quick recipe that I got from 101 Cookbooks. If you are looking for something quick to make tonight, I highly recommend it. The recipe is here. Enjoy!

Wind wind wind

Yesterday was a rarity in Vancouver. We had some pretty crazy wind. It was gorgeous and invigorating. But today we are back to clouds clouds clouds. The leaves are pretty much wiped off the trees now. I think Winter has arrived.

Curious

The latest Dwell magazine featured these two items together. I am very curious about how well a bike like this would travel. I love it! And the basket just tops it off.

Toddler love

For some reason these last few weeks with my son have been, well, magical. I get extra kisses and hugs, without asking for them, and his character is just oozing out of him. Like clockwork, at 6:30 pm, he becomes a little entertainer, running down the hallway, from room to room, laughing with glee, peeking around corners, smiles from ear to ear. I find myself laughing from the middle of my heart and sitting in quiet moments of bliss, watching, absorbing, not wanting this beautiful, joyous time to end. Toddler-hood is such a treat. The level of absorption and curiosity blows my mind. I always thought 21 month olds were kind of primitive. I am proven wrong over and over again. "Mommy it's a peach!" "Liam this is new, it's a pomegranate." "A pomeganate? Mmm nummy. Try?" Or "hmmm, mommy, I wonder." Just so quick to learn, and I can see him processing things, listening, trying, organizing, imaginative play developing, talking up a storm, sitting in a corner with a pile of books telling the stories in his own way. I am constantly in awe and am just as curious as he is now. I am so blessed to be a mother.

 

Ahhhhh

I love these homes from Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects. I still dream of one day being able to build my own home, or have one custom built. These images inspire me.

Rememberance Day

It is Rememberance Day today. I am thinking of how precious life is, how vital it is for us to be grateful for what we have, and who we have in our lives. None of my family went to war. However my mom's husband went to Vietnam and returned home with only one arm, a lifetime of nightmares, bad hearing from a grenade that blew up next to him, and shrapnel still in his body. He does a lot for the vets and is a wonderful husband to my mom. But he has forever been altered due to his time there. And my husband's cousin is heading to Afghanistan soon with the Canadian military. She seems fully prepared and mentally ready. I don't know her, but I do know her mom well, and I feel for her as a mother, watching her daughter go off to who knows what really. It is sad, and I hope for her safe return and for the safe being of anyone involved in a war zone. I hope today we can all consider peace, not just in conflict zones, but in our own lives, how we view ourselves and how we treat those around us. 

(Image by Laurent Pinsard, found here.)

A little trip

On Sunday Liam and I took a trip on the sea bus. It was quick, I hadn't realized how tired he was, and we were on foot, so he couldn't sleep in a stroller or in my pack. We had a good time though, it was a fantastic little journey for a wet, cold day. He was pretty tuckered out, fast.

A break in the clouds

I hope it lasts! We've had enough rain for a while.

Carrot Fennel Soup

This recipe was featured in the latest Gourmet magazine. It calls for fennel seeds and fronds but I couldn't find a fennel at the market that had any fronds, and I thought I had seeds at home, but I didn't. So if you make this soup, you may have a little more green and texture in it. It is a very flavorful soup, very bright and light. If you love licorice, I would recommend using the fennel seeds and fronds. If not, it's worth making it without them. Either way, it was easy to make and really healthy. You can find the recipe here at Epicurious. 

Creature Comforts treats

Creature Comforts is a delicious looking site that I visit often. Recently she posted some beautiful items, I thought I'd share some of them here, they are too beautiful to not share. 

The Woodsland bracelet from Lealand Eve.

This Perfect Pocket Tote from Two Maisons.

And A Grand Discovery from Groundwork.

Little inspector

If you ever come for tea at my house, at least you will know the bags have been inspected! However, because these were all over the floor, I wouldn't feed them to you! But hey, whatever it takes to have a few minutes to myself!

See ya later leaves

The insistent rain has all but washed these away. Too bad, they have been so beautiful. I walk the streets in awe.

Feeling better

I have been really under the weather for a month but I have been trying to push through it, sinus infection and all, in order to stay up on my homework and keep up with Liam. A number of people in my class recommended using Oil of Oregano as an anti-viral, but it made me gag each time I tried. Turns out my sinus infection went too deep and I ended up with something called Pleurisy, so I have had to go on antibiotics. I am still not 100% but I am getting there. I wanted to share the Oil of Oregano tip though because there are a number of people around me who are using it at the first sign of a cold, and it's working for them. This is apparently the best brand, with a 1 to 1 ratio. It's $25 at Whole Foods, not cheap, but you can also use it in your cooking, so if you gag as I did, it won't be wasted. You can dilute one drop to one ounce of water, or you can place a drop under your tongue. 

Perogies

Bill made lunch today. Perogies and fried onions. True fare from a Ukrainian!

Vegan Fudge Brownies

I warn you, do not taste the batter. It is so good, you may end up eating it all before it's baked.

This recipe is from Rebar, a fantastic restaurant in Victoria, BC. Their cookbook is by far my favorite and most reliable. This recipe appeals to non-vegans, I have made it several times and they have all asked for a copy. I have made it here with dark chocolate chunks instead of icing, but the recipe below is with icing. Also, they call for soy milk. I have made it with, soy, rice milk and organic low fat dairy milk, and each time they have all turned out the same. However, it calls for coffee. I recommend using it, it gives a rich dark flavor. I didn't have coffee once, so I used water. Didn't compare. Enjoy!

Vegan Fudge Brownies

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup coffee

3/4 cup soy milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil (I use grapeseed oil)

1/2 cup walnuts, roasted and chopped (I don't include these)

1/2 cup carob chips (I usually don't include them, as they aren't very accessible, and it still tastes good)

Glaze 

(I just add chunks of chocolate to avoid the added fat of the margarine, but the glaze is really good, I recommend using it if you want to convert the non-vegans and make is sweet)

7 oz dark, Belgian chocolate

5 oz vegan margarine

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a 9x9 pan by greasing it and then lining it with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together the coffee, soy milk and vegetable oil. Combine the wet and dry mixes and stir to mix well. Stir walnuts in to the batter. Pour the batter into the the prepared pan, sprinkle with carob chips, and bake for 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack.

When the cake is cool, prepare the glaze. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and vegan margarine. Whisk together very thoroughly to get a smooth, rather than a streaky finish. Pour the warm glaze over the cake, smoothing it out over the surface. Place the pan in the fridge to set. Divide the pan of brownies into 12 squares and enjoy.

Vancouver Aquarium

We went to the Vancouver Aquarium yesterday. Liam was loving it until a shark and a large fish ran into each other in his peripheral vision and scared him. After that, he clung to me and seemed less interested. Too bad, because I could watch the otters all day, they are so full of glee. And the belugas had a new baby that I wanted to watch. So we left within an hour. This last photo is of him in grouchy mode. Oh well.

Love this page

This is a page taken from Gourmet magazine. It is such a beautiful issue. Rich and delicious!

A little down time

I haven't had any time to read lately, so today I am sitting down with some tea and some homemade Vegan Fudge Brownies and enjoying my magazines! I will include the recipe for the brownies later, they are fantastic. Magazines and brownies, indulgence! Have a nice day! 

Oh yeah, way to go Obama!!! I'm so pleased for America and the world. Positive changes are to come, I'm so excited.