Chocolate cake & the garden

I've come to the conclusion that few things bring the kind of joy that chocolate cake and a full garden can. My brother is growing all sorts of veggies from seed this summer - zucchinis, tomatoes, snap peas (pictured above), blueberries, and carrots! We picked the first of the snap peas yesterday and they were the juiciest, crispest, freshest peas I've ever had. Here are a few short quotes about the glories of nature that resonate with me:

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein

"All my life through, the new sights of Nature made me rejoice like a child." Marie Curie  


Much love, 

Vivi

The Goodness of Homemade

I looked in my draft blog posts folder this afternoon and was very surprised - I have 51 draft blog posts! 51! Many of these I didn't think were finished and weren't "good enough" to post. But as I flipped through so many of them, it saddened me that I have these memories stored away as drafts. Many of them contain precious images and words that reflect a specific season of life, and I wish I had posted them at the time I wrote them. In light of this, one of my goals for 2019 is to actually post what I write! I don't want these images and words to become forgotten, and the drafts folder is often pushed aside (for me, at least!) like a second recycling bin. So, without further ado, these are some memories from winter break 2018/2019 wrapped up in images. 

In 2018 I discovered a love for cooking (I know, not just baking anymore!) which has brought a lot of joy to the family. ;) I've mostly whipped up soups, stews, and curries, primarily because I find them the easiest meals for a beginner. The crock-pot and I have been best friends. This year I want to bring even more flavours to life, and more bread! Yes, the more bread the better. Almost nothing beats a freshly baked bread ring... My favourite is a herbed bread ring with basil, parsley, and rosemary (pictured above!) 

Looking forward to sharing more on this little space in 2019! Get ready for much food & joyous eating! :) 


Much love,

Vivi

Fabulous Food & Flowers

The heat of summer has set in. With longer days and veggie markets selling tempting herbs and fresh ingredients, I have found myself wanting (on an almost daily basis...) to create something mouth-wateringly delicious. Some of my recipe choices have been healthy (chili, spiced Indian spinach with paneer, veggie soups), but alas, most of the healthy recipes have gone un-photographed. So, I present to you a collection of the not-so-healthy goods that have satisfied the taste buds of many human beings (myself included). But of course, a post without flowers would hardly be appropriate, so enjoy the vibrant blooms that have helped make our new house a home!

First up, a strawberry custard tart that I made for a close friend's bridal shower. My friend loves to make mini strawberry custard tarts, so I decided to make an intense version for us to devour. :) 

Much to my (and my mom's) absolute joy, the veggie market located a quick one minute walk away sells the most amazing selection of fresh flowers. AND at a reasonable price. This has been fantastic, but also makes it challenging to not purchase a new flower every day when I walk past! The lilies above are from our back garden, and the gerbera daises are from said veggie shop.

A cup of coffee on the deck as the morning light sets in. I love this. Simplicity and serenity in one. 

For my 23rd birthday my brother made this incredible black forest trifle. Wow, just looking at it makes me drool! 

A quiet moment in the house. Mom had just finished arranging her latest flower purchase, Dad enjoyed music on his phone, and my brother cozied up on the couch studying (sneak peek on the far right - haha!)

One of my favourite things to bake is granola. This particular recipe is laden with seeds (pumpkin seeds, especially!), all kinds of nuts, and a healthy handful of coconut. Air fresheners are one option, but the aroma of freshly baked granola is hard to beat!

Yay - a healthy recipe caught on camera! For dinner a few nights ago I made a creamy zucchini soup and a herb bread ring. Although the dinner was a hit, the almost 30 degree weather made iced drinks necessary! 

You know those treats at coffee shops you always ooh and ahh at through the glass window and never purchase? Well, cinnamon streusel coffee cake is that for me. So! I decided to whip up a full tray of the stuff. The recipe turned out so well, with a light and fluffy vanilla cake wonderfully complemented by a light cinnamon crunch.  

A house starts to feel like a home when the flowers are happy. How I love hydrangeas! If any of the aforementioned recipes make your mouth water, leave a comment below and I'd be happy to share the recipe. Happy summer time, friends! I hope your days are filled with color, joy, and a mixture of health & decadence. 

Much love, Vivi 

Christmas Time, Oh Christmas Time!

Things I've loved this Christmas season: 

• Baking a double layer pecan cake to kick off the Christmas treats (which included a large amount of cookies eaten so quickly that no camera could capture them...)
• Crocheting my very first blanket! 
• A fresh snowfall right in time for Christmas
• Exploring classic Christmas treats with marzipan fruit creations. Apples, oranges, plums, grapes, pears, and bananas!  
• A family Christmas dinner with a plethora of vegetables and creative dishes

This Christmas time has been a very peaceful and rejuvenating season, filled with excellent food and time spent with loved ones. I have begun reading an annotated version of Emma by Jane Austen, and oh my, the eloquent sentences and 19th century humor is fantastic. I officially start the final semester of my undergrad degree this Tuesday, so I'm indulging in all of the leisure reading I can fit in before textbooks take over... :) 

Much love, Vivi 

Lentil Salad

 This salad is the ultimate cleansing meal after the Christmas season. If you have a sweet tooth like me, you'll be able to relate to the vast quantity of delicious food that Christmas brings with it: dark chocolate molded Santa Clauses, fruit cake, sugar cookies, apple pie, you name it. Enough about treats- back to salad! The best thing about this salad is its versatility. You can add almost any raw veggie to the mix for an added flavor dimension. 

R E C I P E

1. Combine 1 cup of dry lentils with 1 bay leaf and 2 sprigs of rosemary. You can also use one tsp. of ground rosemary instead of the sprigs. Add enough water to cover the lentils by one inch in a medium saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 16- 20 minutes until the lentils soften
3. Next, drain the lentils and discard the bay leaf
4. Finely chop 1 cup carrots, 1/3 cup celery, 1/4 cup bell pepper, and 1/2 cup cucumber. Optional: 1/4 cup chopped green onion.
5. Add in one 15 oz. can of chick peas to the salad and mix together
6. Finally, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, or 5 tsp. of lemon juice. 

 E N J O Y!

Much love, Vivi 

Breakfast//Lunch//Dinner

I saw a "breakfast/lunch/dinner" post on one of my favorite blogs the other day. Three meals made, photographed, and quickly devoured. I love pictures of delicious food (no surprise there... ;) and was inspired to document an entire day's food myself. But honestly, I remembered to take a picture of breakfast one day, then lunch the next, then dinner the next... So, here is a compilation of an assortment of meals from the past week- enjoy!   

B R E A K F A S T 

L U N C H

D I N N E R 

D E S S E R T

I found that taking pictures of my food helped me to eat a more balanced, healthier selection of foods. I'm thinking this will become a regular addition to the blog... :) What do you think?

 

Much love, Vivi  

Vegan Chocolate Black Bean Cookies

These cookies are exceptional. They boast a full can of black beans and no refined sugar, flour, butter or eggs. These, my friends, are a gift from heaven. You can eat them for breakfast. Lunch. Second breakfast. Whatever your heart desires, because, as I like to put it, they are basically fancy vegetables. If one bean dessert isn't enough, you can find a delicious white bean cake here.

Ingredients:  

2 cups black beans

2 Tbs. coconut oil

1/2 cup maple syrup 

3 heaped Tbs. (the more the better) cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups oats

large handful dark chocolate chips/chunks

Rinse and drain the black beans. Use a food processor to blend beans with coconut oil, maple syrup, and cocoa powder. 

Transfer fully blended bean mix into a bowl and stir in oats and dark chocolate.

Mold into balls, place on baking tray, and press into a thin circle.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

That's all there is to it! Ridiculously easy and healthy black bean cookies.

Enjoy! 

Gingerbread adventures!

Last night my friend Hannah and I spent hours and hours creating the most unique gingerbread creations we could. Happy, confused, monotone- all sorts of gingerbread men were brought to life. ;)

 ^^this little guy is going for swim and happens to be my personal favorite ( shh... don't tell the others)^^

Much love, Vivi

thank you, brownies

I had this crazy thought for this past week: No sugar for seven days. For an entire week I was going to hold back the treats and eat them fruit and vegetables. Some may consider this normal, but for sugar-loving-always-baking me, the thought of a DAY without caving into my sweet tooth seems, erm, strange.

I've done it before. I recall a day in the Summer when I restrained from eating any sweets. And I survived! It required some major self-control, but I struggled through. Yet honestly, not a day has passed since then that sugar hasn't entered my mouth.

I have a thing for taste, for chewing, swirling around food on my taste buds.

I KNOW! Again, strange.

So, on Monday when I embarked on my lofty journey, I really believed it was possible. I went to school, snacked on cashews and peppers and cucumbers and fruit. I came home, drank tea, ate a filling dinner. All was well. And then I started studying for my third and final calculus midterm. And one thing led to another and a few brownies made their way into my mouth, consoling me oh-so well.

Thank you brownies, for your care. Sugar free week? Next week, friends, next week!  

Baked Nutella Donuts

Something about a big deep fryer bubbling with hot oil makes me not want to make donuts. But then! A recipe appears where hot oil is non-existent and a friendly oven becomes your go to guy. These donuts are a bit cakey, a bit spongy, a whole lot of wonderful. Recipe adapted from here. You might want to double the recipe; six donuts don't go very far. ;)
      
 Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 large egg

Nutella Glaze:

•  3 heaped tablespoons nutella
• a few splashes whipping cream or half and half, really any amount until you reach your desired consistency!  

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly butter a donut pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cornstarch (or potato starch), baking powder and salt.

In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together milk, butter, vinegar and egg.

Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a spatula until moist.

Scoop batter evenly into donut pan.

Place into oven and bake for 7-8 minutes, or until donuts are slightly browned.

I decided to top these off with roasted coconut flakes. What a delicious choice that was. To roast coconut, line a pan with parchment and spread coconut flakes out evenly. In a preheated oven to 350 degrees, watch coconut VERY closely for about five minutes or until lightly browned. 

Happy Baking!