This week I had a sort of blogger realization, like a late start on my new years resolution type thing. As I was trolling my usual daily obsessions (Fitnessista, Kath Eats, Cupcakes and Cashmere, House*Tweaking , Clean Eating Chelsey, to name a few.. trust me, there’s more, including a few new to me ones) I felt like I was cheating them. While I visit them daily, I fail to let them know I have visited, and appreciate their posts and content. Then I thought about my own blog. While I can see the visitor count on google analytics, you don’t always see the same thing in the ‘comment’ section. I love when I get comments because it means someone connected with what I was talking about, or were just happy to find a new recipe. While I always read these blogs I rarely actually comment or join in the discussion. Why? I don’t know. Maybe because I like just being ‘in the background’ and reading the comments that others write, instead of contributing myself. Though, sometimes I do feel like commenting but the platform is rather annoying (captcha = annoyance). Plus, there are so many friendships and connections that can be made through blogging, lots of which have already brought me to meeting some local favs like Alicia Fashionista, and  Smelly Danielly who I met last year after meeting in the blogisphere.

So, I guess my blogger resolution for this year is to contribute more. Instead of just reading through a post, or, worse, skimming it and simply ‘pinning’ the picture for a recipe to use later, I will actually contribute and leave a comment to add to the discussion, or simply to let them know I liked their post. More than once will I not even read the entire post, though I love looking at the pics and reading some captions. However, that blogger took the time to write it and I should take the time to read it. Just like this post – I’m hoping someone will actually read the whole thing, and not pull a move like I usually do… A little goes a long way when you’re just beginning a blog and are eagerly waiting for the  first comment – I remember those days of checking the analytics right at midnight each night. Hopefully in return I’ll also meet some new ‘commenters’ who might be a ‘ghost’ like myself.

I also made it a new goal to blog three times a week on a schedule (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) and a Sunday post for a weekend re-cap. So far we’re 2/2 this week! Hopefully I will be able to stick to these goals and resolutions! With my long teaching practicum starting up I am already feeling the crunch! Hopefully some time management and prepping / planning will help with this!

Did you make any new years resolutions? or perhaps a resolution for your blog? maybe starting a blog??

Speaking of weekends, this past weekend our adorable little niece came by for a visit – and some cheerios. Uncle Adam is the typical uncle doing silly things and making weird faces (note below). We played in the kitchen for a bit and then took a nice, but chilly, walk around our new house and the neighbouring developments. She also was a mini-taste tester for the granola. Usually she wouldn’t be able to have any because she isn’t allowed Honey yet, but luckily this granola is honey-free. She also stole her first dried cranberry off the floor – babies have hawk eyes. I have heard of olive oil granola before but never made it myself. I like the idea of less sugar in granola as it tends to be quite high in sugar and overly sweet. I cut the sugar way back from 1/2 cup originally, and left out my usual love, the chocolate chip. This is simply delicious. I cut up a banana and a mandarin, topped with the granola and splashed with almond milk for breakfast and it was ah-mazing. Not overly sweet, but just enough to curb the sweet tooth that is still in over drive since the holiday binge.

Bulk sections are great for granola because you can get any sort of nuts/seeds you like in the exact amount you want. I threw in some quinoa flakes I found for the first time in the bulk foods section

I also love that you can get unsalted, raw nuts instead of buying those pre-packaged trail mixes that are overly salted and contain a lot more sugar. I leave the salt out of this one completely.

Olive Oil Granola

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats, gluten free/wheat free
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup quinoa flakes
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup almonds
2 tbs brown sugar
dash of cinnamon
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup agave syrup
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped up

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine oats, pumpkin seeds, coconut, quinoa flakes, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon. Add olive oil and agave. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until golden brown and well toasted and fragrant.

Remove from oven and stir.

Add in cranberries and apricots and mix again. Allow to cool completely and store in container.

This is delicious on its own, over yogurt, or in a bowl with fruit and a splash of almond milk (or other milk) for breakfast.

recipe adapted from NY times

Summer. Is. Here.

It is HOT. Really hot. Finally we have summer here in Vancouver, and not the one day on, one day off sunshine we have had for all of June and most of July. Everyday I wake up at 6 am when Adam leaves for work, for about a second, and the sun is in full force outside my window. I dread the Fall, when you wake up at 7 am and it is pitch black out. And when you get home from school/work at 4 pm, and it’s also pitch black out. Enjoy it now! No complaining about how hot it is, because it will be over sooner than you think.

I wasn’t too worried about having a sunny summer, because I am leaving for Europe in TWO WEEKS! To say that I am excited is an understatement. I will be leaving on a jet plane, headed for Amsterdam. From there, I go to London for a few days, then to Paris, Italy, Germany, Amsterdam again on a tour, and then to Italy again for two weeks myself with my Nonna. I’ve started to pack, all my ‘travel-size’ items, and get some outfits ready. I have also had to begin packing to move. I leave on the 22, and Adam and I have to be out of our place on the 28. I’ve been slowly packing boxes the last few weeks, and Adam has been moving them to storage for us where they will stay until November. It will feel like an early christmas, as I won’t have seen any of our stuff for four months! We’re moving in with Adam’s parents for the three months, and Adam will be there while I am in Europe for the month. Our house is *usually* pretty clean, I get a little antsy when things are messy, but right now anything goes. There are moving boxes everywhere, stuff piled on stuff, suitcases for my trip etc. It’s killing me not to clean, but what’s the point? Haha.

This is what our house looked like, on a good day ;) These photos were for the online listing.

{My super-tiny kitchen. Usually there are lots of dishes/bowls/baking items staked on each other and falling off the counters. The oven is also full with baking dishes/cookie sheets. New house? Giant island, tons of cupboards, lots of storage. No more dishes in the oven}

{I actually really liked our living room. The high vaulted ceilings were a plus. What you can’t see is the big bay window at the front of the living room, with floor to ceiling windows. Lots of sun, and south facing, with a great view and trees. No more walking around naked in the new house.. lol. There will be neighbours on either side of us!}

{Our view, in the wintertime}

{Summertime view – gorgeous!}

{no pesky neighbours across from us.. not for long!}

{Bathroom was also small, and no drawers (though the new one has no drawers either.. bummer, but we also have three full bathrooms. I’m not sure if thats a good thing or not..more cleaning.. You can see the bathroom makeover here too}

{We had a cozy little kitchen/dining table and a bar. The table had two leaves as well. I liked the cut out in the kitchen too, it was nice when Adam was doing the dishes to be able to talk to him still ;) }

{Note the map of Italy – of course- and my DIY chevron print…which i think is out of fashion now? lol }

{Our cozy little bedroom, actually its quite big. Bigger than our new one I think, but we will have four bedrooms, instead of one haha. I’m gonna miss it!}

{There are definitely lots of memories we will take with us! Adam’s first place, and our first place together (after I moved in and too over ;) but I’m looking forward to our new house!}

————-

I actually made this quinoa for the long weekend we went to the States, and it was SO GOOD. It’s even better in the fridge. Like the original post, I need ‘clumps’ and ‘clusters’ in my granola. I like it to be crunchy, and it needs to be loaded. I saw this on my friends site a while ago, and knew I had to make it asap. It did not last long, that’s for sure. I had it on it’s own, in yogurt for breakfast, as a snack. It’s totally customizable and I just threw in a little bit of everything.

I didn’t add any oats, as I didn’t have any GF/WF oats, but if you don’t have a wheat allergy you can definitely add them. I also added honey instead of maple syrup, but you can make these Vegan and leave the honey out and use the maple.

This stores wonderfully in the fridge, and I love a crunchy granola, and it’s great cold as well.

Quinoa Granola
Adapted from Hungry, Hungry Hippie, from the cookbook Quinoa 365 

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup quinoa
• 2 T chia seeds
• 2 T poppy seeds
• 3/4 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped ( I pulsed mine in a food processor )
• 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• zest of one orange
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
2.  Line a cookie/baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Chop/pulse Almonds
4. Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
5. I melted my coconut oil in the microwave, and added the honey. Stir slightly and drizzle over dry ingredients.
6. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated. Spread evenly onto prepared baking sheet, and bake in over for about an hour.
7. Once baked, let it cool completely. Break it apart, this can be done by lifting the parchment slightly. I stored mine in a container in the fridge, and it also helped the ‘clusters’ form once you break it apart again with a knife or fork after refrigerated.

This granola is delicious. It will definitely be gone before you know it, and totally worth making again.