thirty seven

bon voyage

2011-07-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

so i have obviously not been writing here so much lately. to be honest, i would rather be doing other things... casey and i do blog over here with our new little venture; myself with flowers and casey with his print and design. check it out once and a while. we have some new product coming soon!

we are off to france for an adventure with gigi and i won't be back to this particular place;)
au revoir!
xox
m

two

2011-05-27T06:40:00.000-07:00

my favorite person is growing up before my eyes. it hurts my heart so much, but at the same time we are having the time of our lives. she keeps us on our toes, makes us laugh more than ever and brings so much love into this home of ours. what a little dolly we have. we are very blessed.

i'd like this

2011-05-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

actually, gigi has been great at the whole sleep thing as of late, but this would have been great at one verrrrry long point in our lives.

p.s. i think i have said those words to her. does that make me a bad momsie??

la tour eiffel

2011-05-05T07:21:00.000-07:00

gigi recreated the eiffel tower this morning. she told me so.

and here she is telling you.

take a wee look

2011-05-03T06:03:00.000-07:00

casey and i have a new little project. take a look and give me some feedback! constructive criticism is good!!

will summer ever come?

2011-04-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

my little dolly, i can't wait for summer and your bare legs and cute hats and laughing face.

veggie garden

2011-04-25T06:06:00.000-07:00

pretty excited for this. let's hope my knew found knowledge takes root;)

tiptoes

2011-04-10T19:07:00.000-07:00

happy spring from swing

2011-03-19T18:44:00.001-07:00

fun

2011-02-20T05:38:00.000-08:00

new additions

2011-02-06T18:41:00.000-08:00

mirror for 5 duckets

of course i painted it cloud white and voila.

i am unsure if i would like it at the bottom of the stairs or in my bedroom beside the bed.

design: yours truly;)

construction: mr. yours truly!

casey found this old barn-board at work and we made it into a little mudroom coat hook.

I am posting a recipe as I have been slacking big timer. it is a soup of left over veggies, my version of minestrone (i don't recco broccoli, cauliflower or potatoes as they just turn to slop)

heat olive oil(i eyeball this but lets say 2-3 TBS)

brown some garlic and leeks

add diced carrots, celery, fennel

add italian herbs(oregano, basil, thyme)

salt and pepper

toss in the other veggies you want to use and let them cook together for about 10mins

add 1 box of veggie stock

add same amount of water

and my secret ingredient is the rind of a left of parmesan wedge

let is all simmer for about 30min

somethings you can add are chickpeas, barely or brown rice

i add nutritional yeast to my bowl for my complete protein!

enjoy!!

copenhagen cycle life

2011-02-05T05:38:00.001-08:00

EXPO bicycle city from martin de thurah on Vimeo.

what i long for

2011-01-29T17:55:00.000-08:00

our picnics

vintage grain sacks on me stairs please.

2011-01-22T20:12:00.000-08:00

we are in need of a runner on our stairs and have been looking for juuuust the right thing. we liked the idea of stripes or a bold colour but then i came across these vintage european grain sacks....

bookshelves

2011-01-21T07:37:00.000-08:00

we need some.

it got me.

2011-01-20T18:27:00.000-08:00

this bone crusher of a flu got me. i spent the beginning of the week fighting this sucker with oil of oregano, vitamin c, hot lemon water, and a neti pot. i even tried cold fx!! at times i thought i had beaten the beast, but for the past 48 hours i have been on my ass and evv-err-yyy muscle in my body aches. like muscles i truly did not know existed. need i say more? so, tonight i am indulging in whisky. ewwwwwwww. how does don draper do this and why does it look and sound so darn delicious.

on the upside i pvr'ed an episode of david rocco's dolce vita weeks ago and lo and behold i must have set it up so that it tapes all episodes. i have been known to "just press buttons till it works" and it turns out it worked to my advantage cause i have been watching it back to back to back.

i think i am drunk i better go.

snipits

2010-12-28T20:10:00.000-08:00

hope everyone had a great christmas! we sure did! it was so nice to witness christmas through georgia's eyes this year. on another note here are a few things i see throughout the day that make me smile and make our new house our home so far. it was so nice to spend our first christmas here.

and a cute one of gigi watching the older kids at the library.

we strolled around the neighborhood this morning and checked out a new cookie shop that just popped up in the neighborhood. very cute and very yummy. i get so excited when i see a new business come into the hood. we chatted with the owners for a bit, tested out some treats and grabbed a coffee to go. if you get a chance, show some support to this new local business. i recommend their chocolate shortbread cookie or pumpkin pie whoopie!

in the spirit of giving

2010-12-10T08:34:00.000-08:00

so we have moved in and are starting to feel settled. there are still some things that need to be done, but those will come in time. we want to live in our house and feel it out for a bit. get to know it as it becomes our home. the one thing we did do, almost immediately, was buy our christmas tree.

georgia loves all the fun ornaments we have collected over the years. i have ornaments from the 70's, before my time;) ornaments i chose or made as a child, ornaments casey has added to the collection and so on. i love an eclectic tree! and in the spirit of christmas and giving we have made a conscience effort to cut back and pay it forward. i have organized for the teachers and students at my school to donate money to local families in need. we have raised $500 so far! as for gifts within the family we are keeping it simple. i really want to instill in g that great feeling of appreciation and respect for the things she does have.
i wonder if she will have a look of surpirse when she comes downstairs on christmas morning?? we have been practising it at bath time every night. so far she just stares at me. i have, however taught her how to say "mamma mia!" hand gestures and all.

excited for this

2010-12-01T00:44:00.000-08:00

feist

home stretch

2010-11-15T12:30:00.000-08:00

we are getting there folks. casey moved all of our furniture into the house this weekend and we spent saturday night, a little tipsy on sake, unpacking and cleaning the kitchen! painters are painting every wall, ceiling, piece of trim, and nook and cranny a warm shade of white and will be done on friday. our electrician surprised us this morning and showed up a whole 3 days early! so, keep your fingers crossed for us as we hope to wake up in our new house monday morning.

so now for the added touches. we have picked up a few items here and there at local flea markets and have some art we have acquired over the past few years, but we want to keep the house open and clutter free. we have also decided to only buy those "wow that would be perfect!" pieces, so the house will remain pretty bare in the furniture department for the time being.

here are some cute things that have caught my eye!

map for gigi's playroom!

entrance.

thanks to grandma sally we have the teepee!

i just found this pic and it totally looks like our kitchen so far. weird.

happy 'ween

2010-10-31T19:29:00.000-07:00

i can't find my socks!

2010-10-20T21:02:00.000-07:00

they have just been blown fresh off my feet. i just ate the most delicious meal at buca. i love that i get to spend my 30th birthday doing what i love! eating yummy food and hanging with my closest!! case and i are going to cowbell saturday, friggin ffffffffinally!

if my job was blogging and downloading images to post to corresponding blogs i would be fired but at least i have some from tonight;)

tile, hardwood, and paint o my!

2010-10-18T18:56:00.000-07:00

casey has been priming the house.

we have tiles permanently cemented to the floor.

hardwood will be installed wednesday - well that is the word on the street.

i will post pics i took yesterday. i just can't wait to drink a glass of wine with casey in that dang house.

fall

2010-10-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

beginning of the end

2010-09-30T19:12:00.000-07:00

drywall is in and taped. so here we go. floors next week.......o how i hope. i am feeling more and more excited but i think what i really cannot wait for is to see clean, fresh, white tile. then i will get the tingles!

i think the jack and jill will have a wall of grey.....maybe blue.

i just like this.

love this closet turned bed nook! i have always wanted a bed nook with bookshelves surrounding me.

our floors will be like this...

pffffffffffft. ya right. in my dreams.

i like this for the mudroom.

low

2010-09-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

when i am low i love to look at pics of georgia that i have taken and remember how i was feeling and what we were doing. the little stories she was telling me with mere peeps and squeaks and giggles.

she held on to these balloons for an hour that day. so sweet.

update

2010-09-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

and the wrong colour siding was delivered and installed.....wouldn't be our house without a story like that!

lazybones

2010-09-12T18:08:00.000-07:00

argh i've been so lazy. actually quite the opposite and that is why my posts are lacking. we are still waiting to move, but rumor has it i will have a house with drywall happening this week. should i keep my hopes up?? so hard not too. once we get drywall i would say we are cooking with gas!! anyways, here are some things i am liking.

morning

2010-09-04T06:50:00.000-07:00

hightailin' it

2010-08-18T11:44:00.000-07:00

i am still on a break from the house. we are even gettin' outta here for a week.

i start school 2 weeks today. barf. by school i mean work. i love my work and i like how i feel at the end of the day and i know once i get into the routine it will all be good, but i would be a liar to say i haven't shed a tear the past few days. g is growing up and someone new has to come into her life and hug her when she falls, rock her to sleep, make sure she gets all her veggies and fiber, see her smile and laugh at something i will miss, teach her new things!!

o man. it hurts the heart to be a mommy. i do know that our situation is great, i have lots of time off and short days and she doesn't have to go to daycare, but it don't matter my friends, it feels sad.

anyways, it is good for her. she will flourish so quickly over the next year and i still take time everyday to smell her head and kiss her neck and hold her and keep those smells and feelings safe in my memory. o goodness, enough of this i am crying all over the keyboard.
i will post our trip to this market. the pictures should be good, and i will take pics of our bike rides and sunsets and scrumptious farm fresh meals.
xo

on the outs

2010-08-05T20:40:00.000-07:00

that's right i am on the outs with our house. we are taking a break, ol 37 and i. we need some time apart. they say distance makes the heart grow fonder. we shall see.

my poor dad. not sure how he is still standing on gods green earth. he drew me a pic of the trench that is in our basement at the moment. yep. a trench. there may have been a botch job, from way back when, on a cracked pipe that they thank goodness found now and not after all the work was done. we are a true example of the glorious surprises that come with reno-ing a house. i can't even begin to list the nightmares uncovered at 37 florence. so, no pics, no updates, no nada on the house for a bit.

i believe in my heart this break will be good and these disasters, once rectified, will make our house even more of our home in the end. i just have an end date in mind and it is not looking promising.
@#$%* trench.

on another note. friggin finally. this pic is a wee blurry but i must say it looks like g!!!

the family;)

chia seed puddin'

2010-08-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

i found a new hearty snack for georgia. actually, we like it as well.
pudding made from chia seeds! yum! full of protein, omega 3's and 6's, fibre and so on!
plus it is so very easy which is my favorite type of recipe.

3Tbls of ground chia seeds
1 cup of rice or almond milk
1 tsp of cinnamon.
stir it together and divide into ramekins (this recipe makes 2 servings) place in the fridge for 40 min or leave overnight.
you can make chocolate by using the chocolate versions of these milks.

those who create together.....are creative together?

2010-07-27T19:34:00.000-07:00

just wanted to share this with you. i love the 'ol ets! i really like to give gifts purchased from there but even better is buying stuff from those who create together. i especially like ben and natlaie's story.

a lemon a day

2010-07-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

case and i are going to cleanse together over the next month or so, but we are starting slow and easy so as not to upset our bodies;) so for this first week we will simply wake up and have a drink of warm water and lemon and be on our way. we will also be eliminating any sugars (limiting fruit as well, berries are good as they are low in sugars when it comes to fruits), dairy (ew), alcohol, anything in a box (again, ew), meat, fried foods, etc... shouldn't be too hard except for casey's love of beer and my chocolate problem. our meals will consist mainly of brown rice, steamed or raw veggies, miso and lots of water! again, not so tricky except for summer bbqs! argh. o well. it is much needed and i am so looking forward to it. we may even throw in a little dry skin brushing and ginger bath to boot!

on another note i love this fireplace arrangement. and by arrangement i mean everything from placement to accessories. ha!

how i love white kitchens

this one i have kept under wraps until now. doing it!

peace.

bikes

2010-07-21T14:12:00.000-07:00

this is what g and i are rockin' at the moment. let me tell you i am TERRIFIED of biking, but we got this seat for george and we just cruise around the neighborhood. guess i am overcoming my fears. i do have strict rules about where we go though....slowly but surely i will overcome you bicycle fear! slowly but surely.
anyways, i am mildly obsessed. we like to go in the evening. i think it is nostalgic for me. i sing songs and point out the roadkill and flowers as we zoom by. she sits with her feet up on the handle bars, ankles crossed.

originally i wanted this little contraption. hasn't happened yet....but ya never know!

would be so goooooood.

maybe my birthday wish will come true and we will bike through denmark and/or holland;)

so sweet.

2010-07-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

Max & Margaux's Sneak Peek #2 from Shark Pig on Vimeo.

this reminds me of casey and i when we got married.....and still;) skipping!

it's tricky being green

2010-07-14T19:47:00.000-07:00

my bro sent me this today after the topic came up over our picnic lunch. it is so hard to know when you are truly being eco-friendly, especially when building a home! check it out. ps those are NOT plastic water bottles.....they are glass;)

then he set up his new tent in the park for a test drive.

the rube liked it!

siding time!

2010-07-14T12:30:00.000-07:00

we chose the lighter siding. i like the dark but i was sacred of it being too dark.....can you see the little samples;) my dad hung out the window to get em set up all nice for comparison. We are using hardie board for our siding. it claims to be eco-friendly. hmmmmmm.

we are in love with the black windows. pretty, aren't they!

get my goat

2010-07-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

the newest addition to our fridge is goats milk. what is truly shocking is that my babe loves, loves, loves it and i merely told her to give it a go and if she was not a fan i wouldn't force it - god knows i cannot bare the taste so why should she suffer? although i prefer cheeses made with goats milk, and can even stand to eat the yogurt at times, i just cannot acquire a taste for the milk of a goat. bleh! i have tried it and i actually feel guilty giving it to g but she loves it and it is easy on the digestive system and o so good for her. fatty and rich with vitamins for her growing body.

the reason why goats milk, or better yet sheeps milk, is best for us to drink (say no to dairy as it messes with the acid and alkaline state within our body, at times leeching calcium from our bones) is because it is closest to our milk and therefore easier to digest. it comes from an mammal closest in size to us and therefore the molecules in the milk are smaller than that of a cow and easy for us to deal with, plus it is usually organic and free of hormones so another added bonus there. i still choose almond or rice milk for myself and making it at home is best so it is free of things like sugar and carageenan, but kudos to my girlie for enjoying the nutrient rich goats milk!

update

2010-07-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

the house is coming along....i know i need to get some pics up, and i will! we have windows and doors and shingles o my! the windows look pretty;)
here is the lighting route i think we may take.

with a little jaunt toward industrial....

i love trouble lighting....where could something like this go?

man, i have no idea what to do. they are all so pretty.

long time no post

2010-07-06T21:32:00.000-07:00

georgia and i are back from the cottage and we had a great long weekend in the city. i love when casey is off. it feels like we are on vacation and all we do is drink a few beers and picnic here and there with the dog and kiddo. it's nice to just hang out and enjoy your favorite people (finn is considered a person btw).

summer

2010-06-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

the first day of summer has hit and i am celebrating being off work by heading north to be with this little one and this fluffy one. should be fun;) i will post house news next week as we have a roof and rooms!

a few things i like for my girl

2010-06-13T19:22:00.000-07:00

progress

2010-06-13T11:02:00.000-07:00

it's been a crazy couple of months. hard work from my dad, casey and the bro plus a great crew of carpenters have gotten us here.

it's hard doing a reno. i new this, not so sure how much case new it:) but regardless of how much you know it, it's always hard......but so fun! SO FUN! my dad is the best at trying to make this house our home for us and we have no idea how will be able to repay him.

a little raspberry for the road.

being a mommy means....

2010-06-09T21:17:00.000-07:00

.....getting to watch yo gabba gabba and laugh to the point of tears.
so good halfway thru.

floors

2010-06-06T08:01:00.000-07:00

we are on the hunt this weekend for flooring. it's tough. we WANT reclaimed;) mainly because its eco-friendly and it looks great! just one set back so far....cost. eeeeeeek. if anyone has any suggestions on green flooring let me know. i have dog-eared my ecoholic home book and found some great resources online, but any tip is welcome!

love it

2010-06-02T21:01:00.000-07:00

http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/story.cfm?content=175242

very cool. i want to be this guy and his "housemates"

1

2010-05-31T21:54:00.000-07:00

she's 1. i could say so much, but i will keep it between casey and i. she is our own little special piece of specialness;)

rainy days

2010-05-15T15:22:00.000-07:00

i think we need this pretty rainchain at #37. we are also going to do this.....not as pretty, but ecofriendly;)
xo
m

why didn't i think of that?!

2010-05-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

pretty sure this is theeeee best halloween costume ever!
he's a ventriloquists doll!

staple

2010-05-11T19:39:00.000-07:00

this recipe is a staple over here.
da-ang they are good!

almond flour chocolate chip scones

2.5C blanched almond flour

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2tsp. baking soda

1/3C coconut oil

1/4C agave nectar

2 large eggs

a big handful of carob chips OR coarsely chopped dark chocolate

preheat the oven to 350 and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.

mix dry and wet ingredients separate and then combine. add the carob/chocolate.

place in dollops on baking sheet and bake for 12minutes.

on another note lots has gone on over the past few weeks. one of those things being that our roof came off the house and it is just four walls at the moment! exciting. i will post pics soon!

totally off topic.....if you don't have a sprouter, get one (or look on youtube at all the crazy hippies who posted how-to videos) my mommy bought one for me last year when i was pregnant and i use it all the time! it's the best for when produce isn't that great because you can sprout anything from broccoli seeds to mung beans and get all sorts of good stuff outta them! they are great on sandwiches and salads and in fresh spring rolls and in smoothies or just to munch on! we actually sprouted sesame seeds a few weeks ago and they were wonderful! a whole, live food!

doesn't this pic just melt your heart! my brother took it when we were in brooklyn. my life is good with this monkey around!

this post is crazy and unorganized! i apologize.

in love

2010-05-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

i want to marry jamie oliver's food revolution. it gets me all fired up!

ohh emm geeee!

2010-04-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

for those of you who know me well you know that chocolate is a real problem for me. i will eat it until i am sick. i will sneak it. i will even eat the shittiest of qualities when in dire straights. at times i truly do feel like i have a serious habit i must kick. i have special, secret and weird ways that i like to eat my chocolate and in most cases i choose a good quality dark, dark, dark chocolate. YUM! here is a little gem i found in one of my mums raw food cookbooks. it is a great alternative, super easy, and.....wait for it....HEALTHY!

all you need is

1 cup of coconut oil
1/2 cup of good quality dark cocoa
1-2 teaspoons of agave nectar
handful of any or all of the following currants, raisins, almonds, hemp seeds, coconut.....or whatever other treat you may want. try fresh mint too!

i use a double boiler and melt the coconut oil then mix in the cocoa, agave nectar and any treats i may want to add. pour your concoction onto a wax paper covered dish (the dish should have sides as the chocolate is runny at first). place it in the fridge for a 5-10 minutes. i cut it into small squares and store it in the fridge.

it's so good you may want to overindulge at first;) i would advise to take it easy as it is a bit rich, but great for that after dinner craving! and don't forget a high quality dark chocolate is good for you!

can't wait!

2010-04-30T08:12:00.000-07:00

for may 7, 2010

prits

2010-04-28T21:19:00.000-07:00

did i mention i love white?

late afternoon

2010-04-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

this is my favorite time of day. the light is always so nice. georgia and i were playing at the window and i was lucky to be able to capture her curiosity. pure bliss - just us hanging out and chatting;)

grilled eggplant dip

2010-04-27T13:28:00.000-07:00

also known as babaganoush, this is a really simple dip to make. forgive me as i kinda wing it;)

here's what you will need

2 medium sized eggplants
4-6 cloves of garlic (depending on how much you like garlic)
tahini
salt and pepper
1/2 a lemons juice
turn on your bbq to medium/high

take a sharp knife and make little slits in your eggplants (this is where the garlic will go). slice your garlic cloves in half and shove them into the slits on each eggplant. it is ok if they are sticking out and it can be done willy nilly:) place the eggplant on the grill for about 12min then turn over for another 12min( this is an approximation. basically you want the eggplant to be charred on the exterior) take off the grill and let cool.

once the eggplants are cool peel off the skin and put them, along with the garlic cloves, into your food processor. add as much tahini as you like (about 1/2 a cup is usually good) and salt and pepper to taste. add your lemon.

you can eat this with fresh veggies, falafel or warmed pita. i usually make ezekiel chips to go with it.

here's how to make those.

cut the ezekiel flat breads that you can get in the fridge of most grocers into
chip size triangles (use scissors. it's easiest!). place them on a cookie sheet with olive oil and salt and bake at 350 for about 20 min or until brown. yummy sprouted grain chips!

there is a god

2010-04-27T07:59:00.000-07:00

we got our permit! let the games begin!

home again....kinda

2010-04-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

we are back from NYC. great trip! georgia was an angel and kept up without a complaint! she was born to travel;)

we continue to wait for our mother*&^%#@! permit. in the meantime.....

i love white.

rice milk and the big apple

2010-04-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

i am so proud of myself! i made rice milk from scratch and it is goooood. we actually drink almond milk, but i use so much brown rice for georgia's cereal that i started thinking, "what else can i do to get the most out of the rice"? So, naturally i made rice milk;) tonight we had some warm rice chai lattes.

here's how you do it.

rinse 1 cup of brown rice
add 2 cups of water
blend thoroughly
strain the water (which is now the milk) using either a very fine strainer or you can buy a nut or rice milk bag.
add a teaspoon of honey while blending, if you want to sweeten it, and you can even add vanilla or cocoa powder to make chocolate!

wondering what to do with the left over rice grits? i make cereal for georgia by cooking it on the stove like oatmeal. for myself and casey i add tons of ground flax seeds, cinnamon and agave nectar to taste.....you can even add fresh berries. so good!

store the milk in a sealed container for up to 4 days and make sure to shake at each use.
enjoy! things taste so much better when they are made from scratch, don't you think?
xo

we are off to NYC for the weekend! we got some special peeps meeting us there too!
see ya in a few days.

the go to

2010-04-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

this is my go to muffin recipe. quick, easy and healthy!

2C. mashed bananas ( i use apple sauce too sometimes)
2T. sucanat (optional as i don't often use it)
1 egg
1/3 C. coconut oil (or melted butter)
1tsp. baking soda
1tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1.5 C. brown rice flour (spelt is great too!)

mash the bananas, then add sucanat, egg and oil.
mix in the dry ingredients

*you can add frozen blueberries and if you are making the apple ones you can add diced apple or pear. i just throw in an amount i think looks good;)

oven is at 375 and cokk for about 20min.

we made some this morning! so fast. so good.

'tis the season...

2010-04-18T19:43:00.000-07:00

....to buy local produce. well it could be the next great debate! i found this article titillating (i think that word is gross, but it works non?).

and i wish this was my backyard and this was me bringing veggies into the house;)

perfect

2010-04-18T17:50:00.000-07:00

today we went to the zoo. when we got home i took georgia outside and we did a little painting. i have painted with her before, since she was 3mos, but as she gets older it proves to be more and more fun. it was the perfect end to a perfect day.

things i like

2010-04-15T19:57:00.000-07:00

nice lawn

a pothole garden!

prits!

our porch please!

a place to read your books ...

2010-04-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

... or read your computer;)
i want this badly for georgie. we would have hours of fun in it....not too sure where it will fit in our new house though.

butter bean tuesday

2010-04-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

i made butter beans today....you can view the recipe and info about butter beans here. this website is great. lots of wonderful recipes. my next post will be house related not food related i swear! we are still waiting for a permit.
m

beans for a week

2010-04-12T19:46:00.000-07:00

i am learning how to cook beans. well, learning how to cook a larger array of bean dishes. so i have challenged myself to make one bean dish everyday for one week; lunch, dinner or snack. don't matter. as long as i can learn 7 new easy ways to make beans. we watched food inc. awhile back and it is one of the reasons we have decided to eat way less meat. my gag reflex is kicking in thinking of it. you should watch it. i can guarantee that we will eat meat here and there, but if we can choose we would like it to be free range and/or organic. otherwise we are sticking to lots of grains, beans, veggies and fish. so we made a mean ass black bean and sweet potato burrito to kick off the week. the recipe is below. it's a keeper!

black bean and sweet potato burrito

serves 4 to 6 peeps

•5 cups peeled cubed sweet potatoes

•1/2 teaspoon salt

•2 teaspoons olive oil

•2 cups diced onions

•2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed

•1 tablespoon minced fresh green chile

•4 teaspoons ground cumin

•4-1/2 cups cooked black beans (three 15-ounce cans, drained)

•2/3 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves (parsley for those who don't enjoy cilantro)

•2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

•1 teaspoon salt

•whole grain tortillas

•fresh salsa and guacamole

preparation:
place the sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with the salt and water to cover. cover and bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
while the sweet potatoes are cooking, warm the oil in a medium skillet or saucepan and add the onions, garlic, and chiles. Cover and cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 7 minutes. add the cumin and coriander and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and set aside.
in a food processor, combine the black beans, cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and cooked sweet potatoes and puree until smooth. (you can also mash the ingredients in a large bowl by hand using a potato masher. the result will be a less smooth but nicely textured filling.) transfer to a large mixing bowl and mix in the cooked onions and spices.

we made the burritos and then put them in a sandwich press for a few minutes. you could wrap them in tinfoil and warm in the ove as well.

les ouefs

2010-04-09T12:52:00.000-07:00

we have, in the past, entertained the idea of keeping chickens. it truly was a mere mention of the thought of how wonderful it would be to have fresh eggs daily. fresh, clean eggs steps from our backdoor! who wouldn't want that? i myself have thought more and more about it recently while looking into ways for us to become more self-sustaining and the decision has been made! after reading this post i think i can speak for both casey and i when i say, it is not for us. at least not yet. maybe when we are fifty or if we lived on a farm and all we did all day was harvest and shovel manure and brush the horses out;) i wish i could be more willing, and i give full props to those who do it, but the truth of the matter is i can barely keep it together now. so i am sorry to say i don't think farm fresh eggs, from our very own coup, will be happening in the near future.

oatmeal cookies

2010-04-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

i have never really been into baking. too much work and too much measuring and accuracy. they say that artistically inclined people are better at cooking meals than baking because it is easier to just through stuff in and voila! but when georgia came along i started experimenting with recipes that i would gladly feed her (although she is still toothless and unable to indulge in all my homemade decadence, her dad does). none of us have a real wheat or gluten intolerance but we try to stay away from it. eating whole foods is sort of our motto and spelt, being an ancient grain or basically a grain that has been around for ever and ever;) is a better alternative with many more benefits than it's inbred cousins of the wheat family. you can use spelt to basically replace any wheat in a recipe as it's properties are quite similar (i find it just slightly lighter and flakier if you will). People that have sensitivities are generally ok with eating spelt, so it's a great option. i have attached my newest addition to the baking repertoire, oatmeal cookies. you will notice that it calls for coconut oil. just so you know coconut oil is probably one of my favorite foods at the moment. i eat chunks of the oily stuff while cooking and have definitely been looked at in disgust, but it's delish (fin loves it too!) plus it is a pure, whole food with a high smoke point - which means when used to cook it's properties don't break down and we can get its full benefits! it has been used for centuries as an antibacterial agent, helpful both inside and out. i could go on and on about this special little oil. it is so tasty and i even use it as a moisturizer. anyways, this recipe was handed down by a friend and i have tweaked it slightly. i haven't tried it with brown rice flour yet, but i plan to. i'll keep you posted!

1 cup rolled oats (or spelt oats)
3/4 cup spelt flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt

1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp molasses
1/4 cup chopped dried fruit (optional as these cookies are great as is)
OR
1/4 cup of carob chips1/4 finely chopped walnuts (also optional but i recommend it)

preheat oven to 350
combine oats, flour, bp, bs and salt. in separate bowl combine syrup, oil, vanilla and molasses.
add wet to dry. stir just to combine and fold in fruit and nuts.

place small tablespoon size dollops of dough onto a greased cookie sheet. bake for 8-10 min.

just so you know...

2010-04-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

so, i began this blog to keep track of the new home we are building for our family, but then i was thinking, what makes our home, home? i went through what our daily activities are at this point and although slightly repetitive and mundane and despite the fact that we currently are not living in our own space, we have begun to set a precedent for the environment we want georgia to grow up in, and for us to grow together in. i think my thoughts have stemmed from the fact that i am mere weeks away from re-entering the work world and leaving my little baby for the day - albeit a short day, it completely breaks my heart. but i digress, we can chat about this at a later date;) we feel very strongly about providing georgia with great experiences in travel and culture, but most importantly we want to create a space where she can learn from us how to be creative, unique, happy and inspired. so i have decided this blog will be a place where i can share our home life and hopefully provide inspiration to those around me. It's rainy out so i think g and i may take it to the kitchen to bake - nutritiously and holistically of course!
xo
m

it begins

2010-03-21T14:47:00.000-07:00

went to the house today. wanted to see what my bro got up to. here it is. i guess this means it's officially begun.

floors are up;( but we decided to keep the 50's parque in g's playroom to paint it white. so i'm happy about that.

37

2010-03-21T14:10:00.001-07:00

so we have moved......... well, sorta. living at the parents/in-laws for the time being as we begin to reno our little bungalow into a family pad for me, case, g and finner. we went through minor renos last year at our townhouse. then we got the bug, and with the arrival of the babe decided we wanted more space in a place we could enjoy close to family and friends, boat and farmers market. so we shopped around, found a little guy that needed some tlc, did a little dance with the owners to get the right price and voila!