Succulent crush

I have this crush.

On succulents.

So, after frequent trips scouring out the right ones, I found them, took them home, and my limited green thumb did its best to make them comfortable.

Let me introduce spiky aloe plant and two succulent friends, potted happily into a porcelain fruit bowl and currently residing above my bed.

 Much love, Vivi

Friends// A birthday surprise

You first met Shelby & Tanner in  this post way back in September. These two are so much fun, laughing, teasing, just doing what they do best. ;) When Shelby turned 19 at the beginning of March, Tanner had planned to have pictures as a little surprise. With BC weather it rained and rained the day we had planned, so photos had to be delayed. But! Tanner was still determined to complete his birthday surprise for Shelby, and a little rescheduling took place. :)

Much love, Vivi

Pizza, please!

Remember that promised pizza crust recipe? It's here! Now, if you think that pizza crusts equal hours of work and mediocre results, take a deep breath, get yourself some flour and make this! It is the BEST pizza crust I have ever had, and requires minimal effort.

 

Ingredients:

7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

4 tsp. fine sea salt

1/2 tsp. dry active yeast 

Whisk flour, salt, and yeast in a large bowl. Gradually stir in 3 cups water  and mix dough gently into a rough ball. Transfer to a clean bowl and cover with cling wrap, leaving the dough to double in size, about 18 hours. 

Transfer dough to a floured surface and divide into six equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, gather 4 corners to centre to create 4 folds. Turn seam side down and mold gently into a ball. Dust with flour and set aside, repeat with remaining portions.

Let dough rest, covered with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap for about an hour. 

Arrange dough disk on baking sheet; top with desired toppings. Bake until bottom of crust is crisp and top is blistered, about 10-15 minutes. Repeat with remaining pizzas. Cool for five minutes and then EAT. All six pizzas. Just kidding. But you totally can if you want.   

As for toppings? Indulge your inner creativity and go wild. I tried a salami, feta cheese, mushroom and gherkin pizza. Another was a cheddar, mushroom, olive and bacon pizza. Really, anything goes with this crust! 

Happy baking!
 

Much love, Vivi 

Spring break means...

casual snacks of avocado & cucumber on rice crackers

catching up on good reads. loving this book right now.

if you didn't know, drawing goes really well with coffee. ;)

windy walks with the big brother

baking & baking some more. These loaves were made with almond milk instead of regular milk and apple sauce instead of butter!

goal setting on colour note

capturing bits of nature on those windy walks. can you believe it's spring already?!

trying new recipes! believe it or not, I never cook. these pizzas were a big step for me. and the recipe? coming soon. ;)

 Much love, Vivi

that girl

 

I'm that girl. 

You know the one. 

That girl who take pictures of her lattes, paints her nails in all sorts of colours. The girl who eats grapefruit and granola for breakfast with a hearty serving of Greek yogurt. 

The girl who takes her camera to the grocery store thinking, "you never know when a photo moment is going to happen." 

The girl who happily knits and crochets like her 80-year old self will too one day.

The girl who reads books like she eats chocolate. Meaning, ahem, too much. Preferably Charles Dickens and orange flavoured dark.

The girl who drinks from pretty tea cups, does yoga to unwind in the evenings, ambles around happily in farmer's markets. 

I'm that girl.

Something remarkable happens inside when I simply accept who I am, what I love, what makes me tick, and when I no longer attempt to mold seamlessly into my environment, conforming to the "normal" or accepted in the moment.

And it's so great. So refreshing. 

So freeing.  

Much love, Vivi

Grow & grow

Today we had the first sunshine in what feels like weeks. Beautiful, golden sunshine; a welcome break from rainy winter days. We headed over to the local flower nursery and spent a few hours walking through greenhouse after greenhouse, and row upon row of vibrant flowers. For a few weeks we've been preparing our garden for springtime flowers, with seeds being planted and soil covering the bottom of pots. Pretty exciting if you ask me. :) One day I would love to have my very own veggies growing happily in my own backyard. Salads picked from my backyard? Yes please! Do you grow a garden? 

Much love, Vivi 

Pumpkin cinnamon granola

Sometimes it's okay to bake with pumpkin when it isn't autumn.

Sometimes it's okay to listen to One Direction while doing said baking.

Sometimes it's okay to have four helpings of the crunchy delicious stuff. 

Today was one of those sometimes.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Granola:

3 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 Tb. oat bran

1/2 Tb. cinnamon 

2 Tb. olive oil

1/2 cup pure maple syrup 

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and spread on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven at 325* F for 30-35 minutes or until desired crunchiness.

  I recommend serving over honey Greek yogurt with sliced kiwi. Delicious AND healthy!
 Enjoy! 
 

Much love, Vivi