The Monday Make: Tourism Ontario, Day 3, and some yummy Yolo’s

Day three with our Tennessee visitors, had us up early and out the door for a road trip to Midland, Ontario.  Midland is located in the Georgian Bay area, the backpack of Lake Huron.  Many farming families settled here in the 1840’s though it was officially founded in 1871 when the railway came to the area, bringing more settlers, and eventually became a hub for shipping and the lumber and grain trade.  For more history on Midland see this link.

Numbers rise over the summer months when tourists flock to cottages, as well as day tripping it to do the gorgeous 30,000 Island boat cruise, as well as touring St Marie Among the Hurons, a living history outdoor museum, where the Jesuit missionaries lived among the Huron/Wendat people from 1639-1649. There is also the beautiful Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre for the outdoor enthusiasts, with many a great hiking trail to meander down.

We weren’t able to incorporate the latter two mentioned sites as part and parcel of our tour of Ontario since we only had one day in Midland, and a two hour (and a bit) trek each way to and from the house.  Maybe on another visit, wouldn’t you say, Tennessee friends?!

But we were able to start our day with a picnic lunch at Midland harbour, and then a little walk up and down the main street, hitting the wonderful gem of an organic coffee shop, called Grounded Coffee.  Our only disappointment was not getting a pic outside (or inside) this shop, since it became, from then on, our mission to hit all the specialty coffee houses on our tourism Ontario trip for the next thirteen days.  This one was definitely a great beginning of that mission.

After some caffe macchiotos (I hope I have the name right?), we were headed to the harbour for the 30,000 Island boat cruise.  I felt as part of our touring Ontario, we needed to get to big bodies of water as much as possible.  There are just so many gorgeous spots along the lakes and bays of Ontario that it’s hard to choose just what ones to hit for visitors.  But I think we weren’t wrong in choosing Midland as an ideal spot for a great Canadian experience.

The boat tour was a two and a half hour journey around some of the beautiful 30,000 islands of Georgian Bay.

We had a stowaway seagull along for the ride with us, often coasting in the air for a bit directly behind the boat, then resting on the flag pole for part of the ride.

We dreamed of owning some of the serene island cottages.

Seeing the rock formations that make up what we call the Canadian Shield, was magnificent, no matter how many times one gets to see this up close (this was my third boat ride in Midland.)  Georgian Bay sits on the southern edge of the Canadian Shield.

Departing and returning to the harbour, passengers are able to see the beautiful mural by Fred Lenz depicting the time period of the Jesuit settlement and their work with the Wendat Huron people.

Once on land again, we decided to head over to a neighbouring town, and popular tourist destination, Penetanguishene, or as we Ontarians shorten it to, Penetang.

Again, a picturesque town, rolling downward toward the waterfront on a grand slope.

And in my opinion, I found this harbour even more picturesque than Midland’s (even though Midland is pretty, don’t get me wrong), especially with that wonderful view of St Ann’s Roman Catholic Church towering off in the distance.

What a neat idea they had of crafting red canoes as flower pots along the water’s edge.

And there were two replica gunboats from the War of 1812 on display in the harbour.

Our one grand disappointment in this town was the fish and chip shop down at the harbour.  Picturesque and all, but if you’re wanting the real stuff, head up the street to the other fish and chip shop on the main road (though I didn’t try it so I’m only relaying what I’ve been told by friends). We opted for the scenery, looking out over the harbour, but with that came the sacrifice of prefabricated fish and chips.  But it sure was pretty sitting right by the harbour for it.

Following this, we headed left out of the harbour onto Beck Street, followed it to Fox Street, turned left and headed to Broad Street, made a right, then another left onto Jury Drive, and voila, we were at Discovery Harbour.

Discovery Harbour is the living history centre of the British Naval base built to protect Upper Canada after the war of 1812.  There are tours of the historic boats.  There’s also the King’s Wharf theatre on site here, with special movie features showing throughout the year.

One rah rah for Discovery Harbour is their commitment to serve people with physical disabilities, allowing their site to be fully accessible.  They offer assisted devices for persons with disabilities, accessible washrooms and ramps, free admission for a support person bringing a person with a disability, as well as welcoming service dogs in all their buildings.  For more information on traveling here with a person with a disability, click here.

And wouldn’t you know,  it was like it was pre-arranged that this incredible street performer would strike up The Tennessee Waltz  just as we passed her.  What delight for our Tennessee guests to hear this gift just for them!

After some pics and a little walk around this area, we decided to visit St. Ann’s Church in the heart of Penetang before our long drive home again.  The visit there was even more meaningful, having learned on our boat tour that the rock for this magnificent building was taken from some of these 30,000 islands and hauled by boat to the building site.  Amazing!

We arrived home 10:30 that night, weary, sunburned (I thought we should have worn hats on board), and full of terrific memories of our Midland & Penetang excursion.

And because this is Monday and I’ve been so awful at keeping up with my Monday Make posts, I will do something I promised the girls, share my yummy Yolo recipe with them before too long.  The recipe comes from none other than The Oh She Glows Canadian Vegan Cookbook by Angela Liddon.

Homemade Yolos:

For the caramel–1 C pitted soft Medjool dates (I would double this recipe to get more, or larger yolos out of it, so make that 2 C!)

1 1/2 tsp peanut butter or other nut butter or seed butter (again, double it)

pinch of fine-grain sea salt

For the chocolate coating— 1/4 C (1/2 C if you’re doubling) dark chocolate chips

1/2 tsp coconut oil (1 tsp if doubling)

Flaked sea salt or chia seeds (optional, though I’d say put on the sea salt since the sweet and salty taste together is amazing!)

Instructions:

Process the pitted dates until sticky.  Add the peanut butter and salt and process until combined.  The mixture is very sticky but that’s okay, it’s how it should be.

Put the sticky mixture into a bowl and freeze for 10 mins uncovered.  The reason for this is to make the caramel easier to form into balls.  Line some parchment paper on a plate and roll into small balls and place in the freezer again for 10 mins to firm them up.

Make the chocolate coating by melting chocolate chips and oil over very low heat. When most of the chips have melted, remove from the heat and stir until all of it is smooth.

Remove the caramel balls from the freezer and roll them in the melted chocolate using two forks.  Set the balls on the parchment, stick a toothpick in each one, and sprinkle with sea salt.

Freeze the balls for 20 mins or until the chocolate is set.  They taste best straight from the freezer.  I place mine in a ziplock, toothpicks and all, placing at the top of our deep freezer so they’re easily accessible and don’t get damaged or crushed.  It’s a good and bad thing to place them where they’re so easily accessible.  Just means you have to make them more often. You’ll not be disappointed with this scrumptious recipe of Angela’s!!

Happy Monday Make to y’all! Stay tuned for Day 4 with our Tennessee guests celebrating Canada Day with us.

 

 

The Monday Make: Effortless Vegan Overnight Oats for a Practically Perfect in Every Way Day

Found yet another recipe in Angela Liddon’s, The Oh She Glows Cookbook, that not only looked great in the glass, but tasted delicious too.  The 1 C oats,  1 1/2 C almond milk, 1/4 C chia seeds, 1 large mashed banana, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon are mixed together the night before, and left to thicken in the fridge.

 

All that’s required in the a.m. is to stir it up, and layer in a glass for each person, first with the oat mixture, then some fresh berry medley, a layer of crunchy granola, hemp seeds, and drizzle on some pure maple syrup and possibly coconut flakes, then start all over again until you reach the top of the glass. This amount serves three, so our family doubled it to serve six. It looks stunning, and like you’ve gone to loads of work.  The whole family enjoyed this breakfast; a great one to put together quickly on a busy morning since the oats are already done, no cooking required.

 

And one such delightfully busy morning and afternoon out were spent with my youngest, first delivering my eldest to her science lab, where we read our own natural science book, Minn of the Mississippi together, then ambled slowly around the campus gardens, gleaning ideas for the home garden.

And second, in the afternoon we drove to a favourite quiet spot to picnic, continue our Minn turtle lesson, play our old fashioned Game of Graces, and take a wee walk over the bridge just for a different perspective from that side.

And didn’t we spot a new educational sign with the very turtle on it–a snapping turtle–that we’re studying in our Minn of the Mississippi.  How perfect.

 

From beginning to end, this day was impeccable.  One Mary Poppins would surely refer to as a practically perfect in every way day.

Happy Monday Make to y’all!

The Monday Make: Angela Liddon Marathon Cooking

I’ve been doing some marathon cooking and baking this weekend, rather like the feeling I get when I know the spring air is going to stay and I start madly scrubbing cupboards, windowsills, sinks and floors.  Not sure why the cooking bug has hit me so obsessively these last few days, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, and now feel like an Angela Liddon groupie, quite determined as I am to make every single recipe in this book.  Well so far, I’ve covered ten in three days (soon to be eleven once the Effortless Vegan Overnight Oats are ready for Monday morning) so I’d say I’m off to a good start.

Angela Liddon’s cookbook, Oh She Glows, is vegan, and while I don’t profess to be vegan, I certainly have taken away a ton of favourites in these pages.  My eldest (who is vegetarian) bought this book originally, but I have been furiously claiming rights to it these days.  (Don’t worry,  you’ll get it back sweetie!)

I didn’t get around to photographing all the recipes since we were consuming them all as fast as they were being made, so I’ll just list here what all has been accomplished:

1. Glowing mojo-ito green monster shake
2. Out-the-door chia power doughnuts
3. Broccoli & cashew cheese-quinoa burritos
4. Lightened-up crispy baked fries
5. Oil-free chocolate-zucchini muffins
6. Peanut butter cookie dough bites
7. 10-spice vegetable soup with cashew cream
8. Festive kale salad with sweet apple-cinnamon vinaigrette & pecan parmesan
9. Perfected chickpea salad sandwiches
10. Taco fiesta potato crisps

I haven’t been disappointed yet by anything in this book (and no, I’m not getting paid to say that, though I can’t deny I’d welcome the opportunity.)  Since I’m trying my best to do with very little cheese in my life (especially the strong flavoured ones that taste out of this world, such as Welsh cheddar, that hubby keeps bringing home from Costco,) I’ve had to become creative with flavours and ideas.

One very creative lunch item, the chickpea salad sandwich is absolutely scrumptious, and offers  a filling substitute to cheese alongside a good deal of protein.  (Now if I could only get my youngest to consume it.)

Angela discusses how she lowered her husband’s cholesterol levels through their food changes, which is one of the reasons I am trying my best to go easy on the cheese–my bad cholesterol levels being on the high side.  I can’t say I’ll completely do without, because who am I kidding, wave a cracker, red pepper jelly, and a bit of Welsh or strong Irish cheese in front my nose, and I’m in.

Alongside blitzing on Angela Liddon’s cookbook these past days, I’ve also snuck in a few other recipes.  Canadian Living’s Magazine, issue November 2010 holds a great Molasses Oat Bread for the bread maker.  I popped that in early Sunday morning to have alongside my four ingredient simplest of soups, Potato-Leek soup, for din din.

And for some variety on breakfast, I pulled out a favourite granola recipe (yours Kimberley) featuring all manner of nuts, rice puffs, maple syrup, cranberries, sorghum flour, sesame seeds, pepitas, cinnamon, cardamon, and oil.  Delicious with almond or cashew milk.

But the one recipe I absolutely must leave you with today is Taco Fiesta Potato Crisps!  They are just unbelievably delicious! Have them as an appetizer, a party pleaser, or bake up enough of them to use as a meal alongside a tasty salad.

Taco Fiesta Potato Crisps:

Gluten-free, soy-free, sugar-free, grain-free

25-30 mins prep time; 35 mins cooking time

For the potato crisps—

2 russet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced into 1/4 inch (6mm) rounds (use a lot more if you plan on this as an actual meal and not an appetizer)

1 T (15 ml) grapeseed oil

Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the walnut taco meat—

I C (250 ml) walnuts, toasted, if preferred

1 T (15 ml) olive oil

1 1/2 tsp (7ml) chili powder

1/2 tsp (2ml) ground cumin

1/4 tsp (1ml) fine-grain sea salt

1/8 tsp (0.5ml) cayenne pepper

To assemble:

1 recipe Cashew Sour Cream (see further down)

1/2 to 3/4 C (125-175ml) salsa

2-3 green onions, thinly sliced

Freshly ground pepper

**Cashew Cream:  Soak 1 C cashews in water for 8hrs or overnight.  Drain and rinse and transfer to a blender with 1/2 C to 1 C (125-250 ml) water.  Blend on high speed.  Add the following to turn it into Sour Cream:  2 tsp (10ml) fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp (5ml) apple cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp (2.5ml) fine-grain seas salt, or to taste. (Most of mine just prefer to use regular dairy sour cream but this cashew cream does work well for those needing to avoid dairy.)

Directions:

Make the Potato Crisps: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment and place potatoes in single layers and drizzle with the oil, rubbing it in evenly.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Roast the potatoes for 30-35 mins, flipping halfway through.  Cook until tender.  Let them cool 5 mins before assembling the mixture on them.

Make the Walnut Taco Meat:  In a processor, combine walnuts, oil, chill powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne and process until a fine crumble.   Set the mixture aside.

Top each potato slice with 1 tsp of the cashew (or regular) sour cream, followed by 1 tsp each of the walnut taco meat, salsa, and green onions.  Garnish with pepper and serve while still warm.

_________________________

Hope you find time to try these because they’re well worth the effort.  Once the real spring weather arrives I don’t imagine I’ll be spending too many cooking marathons in the kitchen as I’m itching to get outdoors and start the veggie plots.  Spring isn’t quite in the air yet here.  It can’t seem to make up it’s mind.  But hopefully this week?  I’d love to pack away my winter jacket.  We spotted the first blossom on our cherry tree so the real thing must almost be here.  Please, spring, say it’s true! I’ll keep y’all posted on the doings in the garden and life around the abode.  For now, happy Monday Make to y’all!

The Monday Make: Skor Scones

These delicious scones were baked up by my son for our afternoon tea at the end of one school day a few weeks back.  He’s moderately interested in cooking and baking, so  being the ever-searching- for-future-goals kind of mother that I am, I am trying to put to good use the years we’ve left with him here in our homeschool world to get a head start on what interests him job-wise.

I believe he was quite pleased with how they turned out, and even asked me if I was going to be posting his baking success.

And I just had to show you my newest tea pot I purchased half price from the Royal Botanical Garden Centre.  I love bird-watching and tea pots, so what a perfect combination!

My own tasks that week included finishing the very long, procrastinated, draggy project of sanding and refinishing our dining room harvest table.  We sold most of our furniture when we left TN to return to Canada, but this was one piece we couldn’t part with.  It was bought in TN and it just seemed it was one way to bring some of TN back to Canada with us as a memory.  Unfortunately the finish on the table went rather gummy and sticky a few years into owning it, and it got so bad by the year we left, we knew it would have to be stripped again and redone.

We’ve been putting this off for a few years now, always covering it with a table cloth since all things were beginning to attach themselves to the table, never to be pried loose again (including our hands and arms.)

This Fall I decided I would start sanding it and make it my winter project.  Well, after one go with the sander, I realized I was trying to bite off more than I could chew with taking on this project.  So I left off.  I recently returned to it when the feeling of spring was in the air, knowing if I didn’t finish it before winter’s official end, I’d just not do it at all.

It’s too lovely of a table to hide under a cloth all the time (as much as I do love a pretty table cloth), so I got to work again, dedicating a few Saturdays to the task.  Since I’m an inexperienced sander, I have only included a pic of the “good” side of the table all sanded and refinished.  Wayne was very gracious about the whole thing, commenting that the dug out parts just make it look aged and more like an authentic old harvest table.

And I thought I’d sneak in here a knitting pic for Yarn Along.  I still can’t figure out how to attach knitting pics to Ginny’s site for her Wednesday Yarn Along, so I’ll just go ahead and fit it in here with my baking post because cozy knits, having tea and eating scones all go really well together, so why not?  For Yarn Along,  I’m supposed to be saying what I’m reading and knitting, but the problem is, I’m doing neither right now.

This lovely poncho was created by my eldest as my belated Christmas gift, and as far as reading goes…well a lot of you know that story and my concentration issues.  I’m working on it. Wuthering Heights and To Kill a Mockingbird are sitting right there on the side table by the living room window waiting for me to get past page three.

Happy Monday Make to y’all!

For the Skor Scone recipe visit http://www.humblebeeandme.com/skor-scones/

 

 

The Monday Make: Kelly’s Dhal Soup

Lentils are a staple in this household with a few in the family favouring the vegetarian palette over the carnivore or omnivore one.  So I’m always looking for new ways to cook up lentils.  My friend, Kelly, had us over one evening after Quizzing and served up this absolutely delicious, mouth-watering Dhal soup with samosas on the side, as well as warmed Naan bread.

My youngest is always wary of new foods and new titles she’s not familiar with.  She had an idea this would be spicy when she heard it’s name and so of course avoided it completely, deciding on just the salad and bread that evening.  I knew she was very fond of Lentil soup so I decided the following week to make this very same recipe Kelly served us up and, instead, told her we were having “Lentil Soup.”  Because Lentil soup is her absolute favourite, she was delighted. My experiment went off without a hitch, her scraping the bowl clean.  So we’ve a new favourite in the house and also an added craving for samosas made fresh from a local Indian market and spicy mango sauce for dipping.

And if you haven’t already noticed…YES that’s the final product Kelly’s daughter is wearing! I finally finished the scarf! Kelly was a bit camera shy for the photo-op since she’s sporting a full blown cold at the moment.  Thanks for being our model, J! Looks lovely on you.

What began as an easy two week project I was to accomplish for Kelly’s birthday at the end of October, turned into a four month project, with promises throughout those months that it’d be ready for sure for Christmas, no New Year’s, well how about Valentine’s?  So there you have it, four celebrations later I was finally able to hand it over before winter’s end.

I’m on the search now for a new project with a shorter life span. If you’ve any ideas to share, let me know.

Happy Monday Make to y’all!

Kelly’s Dhal Soup recipe:

2 T butter

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp chili powder

2 cans diced tomatoes, drained

1 C red lentils

2 tsp lemon juice

2 1/2 C Veg bouillon stock

1 1/4 C coconut milk

salt and pepper

chopped cilantro and lemon slices to garnish

Serve with Naan bread

Cooking instructions:

Melt the butter in a large pan and sauté the garlic and onions 2-3 mins, stirring.  Add the spices and cook for 30 seconds more.  Stir in tomatoes, red lentils, lemon juice, veg bouillon, and coconut milk, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 mins until the lentils are tender and cooked.  Season to taste and turn the soup into a warm tureen.  Garnish and serve with warm Naan bread and samosas.

*As per Kelly’s suggestion to me, double the spices for even more flavour.*

Enjoy!

The Monday Make: Cranberry White Chocolate Cardamom Cookies

I’ve been lazy about posting Monday Make recipes the last few months, and I guess lazy in posting at all.  I know the older we get we all say, “where does the time go?”  So, here I am admitting I’m old and feeling the need to exclaim, “where does all the time go?”

Mostly my time is spent doing this, split three ways.

It used to be when the kiddos were younger, I’d have more time to do the collective, and very Charlotte Mason method of history, geography, art, science, music study, poetry study, nature study, composer study, and latin together.

Now, I pretty much try to keep my head above water with a full speed ahead mentality, barging through the rough waters of learning disabilities and programs, to ensure future success and coping skills into adulthood.

So, with gears changed toward personalized independent learning plans as the kids age, some of my favourite teaching methods and supplies and ideas get sadly shoved aside.

One thing we’re still finding time to poke in there though, is baking.  Keeping the girls bonded together like glue with a little TLC mixed with KCT (kitchen communication time) has become rich with laughter, learning, and of course messiness.

Neither of the girls are too keen on photo ops during baking time so there’s a lot less of that to be seen these days (sorry), but the results of the time together is what counts, right?

I took photos of the table for our Special Tea at Three.  That’s the best it gets, with one sneak pic of them just before we all partook.  My son yelled out, “This isn’t going on your blog is it?!!” To which, of course, the reply was, “No promises.”

Cranberry White Chocolate Cardamom Cookies: From Sweet and Savoury Bake Fest 12 Inspiring Recipes for Your Holiday Entertaining (brochure)

1 C salted butter, softened

1 C sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1 egg

1 tsp finely grated orange zest (I used more)

2 1/2 C flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C finely chopped white chocolate (I just used white chocolate chipits)

1/4 C chopped dried cranberries

Directions:

Beat butter with sugar and cardamom until fluffy.  Beat in egg and orange zest.  In separate bowl, stir flour with baking powder and salt.  Gradually beat flour into butter mixture.  Stir in chocolate and cranberries.

Divide dough into quarters.  Roll each portion into 6-inch log, about 1 1/2 inches wide.  Wrap tightly and chill until firm, about 3 hours.  (Or transfer logs to freezer bag and freeze for up to 1 month.  Let stand at room temp for 30 mins before slicing)

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Slice logs about 1/4 inch thick and arrange on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.  Bake for 10 mins or until bottoms are golden.  Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

*OR do as you see in the photo above, and just form into balls, pat down slightly and bake right away just like any other cookie.  We’ve done it both ways and both have turned out nicely.

Happy Monday Make to y’all!

 

Happy New Year! And Monday Make (finally!)

Happy New Year to each and every one of you! It’s been a quiet time on the blog over the Advent season.

Wayne had the week between Christmas and New Year’s off which was a nice treat, making it really feel like vacation time when daddy gets to be off alongside us.

We took a hop, skip, and jump over the border one day to eat lunch at The Cheesecake Factory.  Wayne took our eldest down to the Pompeii exhibit in the city one day (along with the rest of the province), and I finally found time to find the floor again in the basement, ploughing my way through boxes and heaps of laundry.  It had been on my to-do list for seemingly eons, so while it appears a very dull, poor you having to stay home and do housework during Christmas break kind of thing, it really was done with gusto and much motivation, and an earnestness to check it off from that long standing list. And it’s now made it to my New Year’s resolution’s list as, so far the only item listed:  To keep laundry off the floor in the basement.  How’s that for aiming high with goals?!

I was also a brave mama and took all four kiddos out clothes (and toy) shopping from 10:30-4:30 one day with their Christmas gift cards and money. Imagine! As I described it to family and friends, it was a mix of hilarity and annoyance.  Our fourteen year old twins are, shall I say, full of drama, to put it lightly? There was a good deal of poking, squealing, banter, and much exaggeration taking place as we moved from place to place, trapped inside our moving vehicle. My eldest thrives on quiet moments and having space, so when youngest leaned over from the back seat, deciding it was time to show her siblings the goop from her infected in-grown toenail that happened to be stuck to her sock now, I knew that very moment, amidst the screaming and waving hands, it was time to head home.

We spent the last of 2015 with friends ringing in the New Year together with a 27 hour party full of many games and lots of food.  If y’all haven’t played Biblios or Telestrations, I highly recommend you try them. While the ladies had two rounds of Biblios, two rounds of Rummikub, many rounds of Super Big Boggle, a few goes at Dutch Blitz, and a game of Word Sweep, the men played Star Wars Risk that- whole -time! We left it behind for our friends to play with their children over the weekend and I’ve already received a message from the mama (with sarcastic intonations) asking me to thank Wayne for having done that…it’s all they’ve played all weekend.

My weekend was spent preparing for school to start up again, trying to wrap my head around what was a hit and miss last semester, what can be re-vamped, what completely new things do I need to add, and how to get everyone pumped for the first day.

My eldest reminded me I wrote a blog post last year about the first day of school after Christmas break was over. I guess it was that bad.  I had high expectations and apparently it all flopped…starting with breakfast (the same one I did today…latkes), and continuing on throughout the day with bickering and sour attitudes. Oh dear. And I wrote about it? Well, I’m hoping this year we’ll have cheerier countenances to enter the first day back, and if not, well that’ll just be a reminder that we’ll not be winning the poster homeschool family award, but maybe the one for normalcy.

Here’s a recipe (it’s about time isn’t it?!!) for your Monday Make as you head back to school or work.  Our friends made this at New Year’s with the twist of spreading on hummus on a wrap, adding the Tabouleh, rolling up and cutting into mini bites. It displays very well on a platter.  And because of that pretty (and delicious) display, we had them for lunch today!

Enjoy! Happy school days, work days and happy Monday Make to y’all! And many thanks to Jen at Practical By Default and Julia from Goss Photography  for nominating me for the Liebster award. I’m feeling shy and flattered!

Tabouleh Salad from Canadian Living:

Ingredients:

3/4 C (175ml) quinoa

1 C (250ml) chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley

1 C (250ml) chopped English cucumber

1/2 C (125ml) chopped green onions

1/4 C (60ml) chopped fresh mint

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

Dressing:

3 Tbsp (45ml) lemon juice (though I’d personally add a bit more as I believe my friend did for her recipe since I tasted the lemon with a “just right amount” flavour)

2 Tbsp (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp (1ml) salt

1/4 tsp (1ml) pepper

Preparation:

Rinse quinoa under cold running water.  In saucepan, bring 1 1/2 C water to boil; add quinoa and return to boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer until no liquid remains, about 18 mins.

Remove from heat; fluff with fork.  Transfer to bowl; let cool.  Add parsley, cucumber, green onions, mint and tomato.

Dressing: Whisk together lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper; pour over quinoa mixture and toss to coat.  Serve at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. (Or do as we did and put a layer of hummus on a soft wrap, lay out a line of Tabouleh, roll up and cut into small bite size sections.)

 

 

 

The Monday Make: Pumpkin Pie Bars

We’re skipping back into a gorgeous week here to end the season of autumn.  We’re hip hip hooraying in our corner of the woods since this time last year it snowed.  And be that ever so little, still, it snowed! To think we’re entering the first week of November with upwards of “feels like” 24C in the forecast is absolutely astounding us! We’re so happy we just keep talking about it.  And I may just have to take some pics this week, and take a break from academics to be out there in the grand weather (and pull out the shorts and flip flops again) to prove it to y’all.

We spent much of our weekend working to clean out the back shed to make room for the deck furniture to hibernate through the winter.

The children, much to their dismay, raked and bagged leaves, raked and bagged leaves, and raked and bagged leaves.  I heard a lot of, “after this one, can we be done?”  I’m sure you know what the answer was.

We had a fire going all day to burn what we could of the overabundance of leaves on the lawn.  I had great fun stoking the fire and setting a new pile ablaze.

Hubby made a trip to the dump with all the unnecessaries in the shed and garage, and then set to work on his 10 foot wall to climb.

Yes, you heard that correctly.  After completing the Tough Mudder race this year he is determined to perfect climbing the wall at the start of the race.  Eccentrics are such cool marriage partners!  So, this will be the next building project and exercise regime in the backyard. We may need to rent more land if this keeps up.  I’ll let you have a look when it’s all said and done.

To keep on the pumpkin theme since we’re still in fall, and all you American readers still have Thanksgiving approaching, I thought I’d share the perfect snack for your guests when they arrive mid-afternoon looking for a cup of apple cider and a little something before the big turkey dinner takes over.  And for those whose harvest meals are now done or don’t exist in your neck of the woods, bake these after your outdoor clean-up and relax with your feet up and a coffee, rewarding yourself with these treats for a job well done.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Bars:

Prep 15 mins. Total time 55 mins

1 1/3 C flour

1/2 C firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 C granulated sugar, divided

3/4 C butter

1 C old fashioned oats or quick-cooking oats, uncooked

1/2 C pecans

1 pkg (250 g) cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

1 Can (19 fl. oz/540 ml) pureed pumpkin

1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

————————–

Pre-heat oven to 350 F.  Line 13×9 inch baking dish with foil (oops I forgot this step…I just greased it and it still worked.)  If you line with foil, grease the foil.

Mix flour, brown sugar, sugar and 1/4 C of the granulated sugar in medium bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in oats and pecans.  Reserve 1 C of oat mixture; press remaining mixture onto bottom of baking pan.  Bake 15 mins.

Beat cream cheese, remaining 1/2 C sugar, eggs, pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.  Pour over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.  Bake 25 mins.

Lift from pan using foil handles; cool completely.  Cut into 24 bars.

(if you’re out of pumpkin spice blend, just use 1 tsp each of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and allspice.)

*Sorry folks, I haven’t the owner of the recipe to name but am guessing this is one I’ve photocopied from Canadian Living Magazine.

The Monday Make: Pot of Gold Biscuits

Ah fall.  We’ve had some lovely hikes this autumn, experiencing just the most delightful weather for our outings.

The Preying Mantis must also think the same since she’s still out and about in these parts, likely laying eggs before dying off with the frost.  We’ve just learned how good these insects are for the garden and all the nasty insects you don’t want around.  So be sure to protect any egg sacs you find this fall so you’ll have some helpful garden friends next spring.

Between our house and the neighbour’s house, we seem to have the prettiest colours on the street in fall, soon to be carpets of gold to frolic in (and yes, rake…but I’m not thinking that far ahead yet.)

And now that a cold spell has come upon us this past weekend (snow in some parts of Ontario, though thankfully not where I live!) I have that hibernating instinct kicking in, and a great urge to pick up knitting and truly make this the year to learn more than the straight knit stitch.

Thanks to my eldest who is miles ahead of me in the knitting arena, I have a live-in knitting nanny of sorts guiding me through how to follow a pattern properly, and easing my stress when I drop stitches or increase by accident.  How does this happen I ask you?!! I was so diligent in counting, so eager and tensed, even to the point of heart palpitations when anyone spoke to me as I counted.  Shush!  I’m knitting, can’t you see?!

I’ve discovered it’s best to just wait until the wee hours of the night to work on it as I truly am a tunnel vision learner.  I need to focus one hundred percent on the task at hand or all goes to pot.  And when all goes to pot, mummy’s whole person does too.

And please don’t worry about that magnifying glass in the photo.  Yes, everyone, I have been wearing my glasses.  The pattern was just slightly too tiny even with spectacles.

I promise to let you know if this knitting turns out in the end, or if it becomes another seven year blanket embarrassment that I’ve still got on the go (yes, my laughing friend and tutor from the south, can you believe that?)  And if I’m brave enough, I’ll add that widget Yarn Along from over there on Ginny’s blog and proudly post my creation alongside a current book I’m reading.

This has been the exciting year for youngest to pick up new notions, knitting being one of them.  I’m so happy about this, and more so now because my eldest can be the ultimate tutor, and thus advance our ten year old at a much faster pace than I ever could.  Imagine her now at my age and all the wonderful things she’ll have knit by then! It’s thrilling to see the motivation and the interests taking shape in the house.

Our pampered Peppy is the first recipient of her finished work.  Peppy has gratefully received her mini blanket, faithfully sleeping with it every night so far.

The next new notion of littlest has been the Klutz Felted Friends kit.  When she asked for some assistance with it, I wavered between the silent voice in my head which said, “oh, really?” and “oh no,” and “isn’t there someone else you could ask?”  and the be a good mummy voice that said, “Say yes Barbara,”  “Make this count Barbara,” “It’s not about you Barbara, it’s about littlest.”

You must know I’m not a huge fan of sewing projects and handicrafts that require working with a needle. I know, how sad.  Maybe one of these days the bug will get me and stick. I hesitatingly agreed to read over the instructions with her and hope to just prompt her through it as a tutor.

After reading the very well said instructions alongside the great visuals this kit had, we set to work to measure and pull apart the proper amount of felt to make the fox.  It was a little tricky at first to roll this ball into any kind of shape so I was already getting a bit frustrated from the outset.  And then when I started poking, more like stabbing, the needle all over the oddly shaped ball to help form it into the body of the fox, I broke all three needles at once.  There were a series of rants which I won’t go into here, but are common to man, woman, and child in this household when mama is out of sorts (and usually when she’s trying to do handiwork of some kind).

Thankfully this wonderful kit came with a second set of just in case needles for people like me.  Of course I broke another one almost instantly but thankfully the last two worked just fine, and more likely they did so because I finally got the hang of what I was supposed to be doing.  And after that? I was hooked.  Did my youngest make this fox? No way! It was all mama’s doing because I couldn’t put it down.  My excuse is that I really needed to get the feel for how to do a creature before I could tutor her through the next one.  Aren’t I right? Tell me I’m right.

He has been named Timothy Fox, and I promised I would give her a turn at the next one, a squirrel to be named Fluff.

And on our continued new notions, littlest is riding a bike mama-free now! My back is thanking her.  It was on the list of must-dos this summer but look how fast that came and went and all the fun we’ve had in between! So we vowed the fall would not pass before she knew how to ride.  Time is limited here in the great white north for such learnings since winter is so long and you’re a whole year older before getting to try again.

She almost had it just before we moved from down south.  But not quite enough, and with our ups and downs in life since our return home, it didn’t happen.  And honestly, I’m realizing there’s just a timing that happens for all things whether it’s speaking, potty training, reading, writing, riding a bike, doing our sums, driving a car, swimming, you name it, it’ll happen in due time, so just relax.  In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter when, does it?

But oh the joys when one finally can!

Baking is the last new notion littlest has been taking a fancy to this past year (and okay, maybe a bit of a this is on your list of to-dos kind of fancy.)  So when we had that pot of Three Sister Soup simmering on the stove top on a very hunkering down, rainy, cold, stay inside kind of school day, littlest set to baking these hit the spot kind of biscuits that are just the perfect addition to a fall soup.

I’ve literally been making this recipe for years it’s so tried and true.  The kids loved them right off the bat when they were wee, and they’re still enjoying them.  We like to cut up cheddar cheese to eat inside the biscuit alongside our autumn soup of choice.   We have officially deemed our youngest family member The Biscuit Maker, though I’m not quite sure she’s aware of her new title and responsibility.  But as the saying goes, “ignorance is bliss.”

Pot of Gold Biscuits (courtesy of Kim’s Kitchen):

2 C whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 C oil

1/4 pound sweet potato, peeled and shredded (about 3/4 C)

1/2 C orange juice

1 Tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 425 F

Combine dry ingredients and cut in oil.  Stir in sweet potato.  Add juice and honey and stir to a smooth dough.  When firm enough to handle, knead briefly (about 30 seconds) Pat to a 1/2 inch thickness and cut into 1 1/2 inch squares.  Bake on an oiled baking sheet or pan for 12-15 minutes.

Makes 12 1 1/2 inch biscuits.

Enjoy! Happy Monday Make to y’all!

 

 

 

The Monday Make: Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Bars (vegan and gluten free)

Well happy Canadian Thanksgiving this second Monday in October!

I’ve been working hard this past week making the garden more aesthetic.  Wayne loved it when he first built the garden and it behaved so well inside those walls.  He much prefers container gardening or contained gardens as opposed to squash, watermelon, cantaloupe, and cukes curling through the fence line and beyond.

We’re almost at the end of the harvest but not quite there yet, thanks to this gorgeous weather we’ve been having.  I still have a good number of carrots and eggplant growing.  And I’m delighted to say this has been a hugely successful year for my peppers.  I’ve NEVER been able to grow peppers so it’s been quite exciting to see mammoth ones ready for the picking.  Because I’m not a big fan of green peppers, I’ve been patient enough to wait for them to turn red.

I finally pulled out all the cucumber plants even though they were still producing.  I was beginning to think along the same lines as a friend of mine who, when I brought her yet another bag of cucumbers from her garden plot, exclaimed, “if I see another cucumber……!!!!”  So I’m thinking I may need to pickle again this week.

I thought I’d pass along an autumn treat for your harvest celebrations and one we all agree needs to be doubled, tripled, quadrupled since they’re so good you’ll find yourself sneaking another and another.

These vegan and gluten free pumpkin chocolate chip oat bar recipe came to me via a good friend, who found it online at lifeonlybetter.com

ENJOY!

Vegan & Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Bars:

Prep:10 mins

Cook time:  20 mins

Serves: 16

3 C gluten free oats

2 tsp aluminum free baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

pinch of ground cloves

1 C canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 C unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 C dark brown sugar

1 Tbsp olive or coconut oil

1/3 C vegan chocolate chips, plus 2 Tbsp for sprinkling on top

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Spray 8×11 or 9 inch pan with nostick spray.

Make oat flour:  place oatmeal in blender or processor and blend for 1-2 mins until oatmeal resembles flour.  You may need to stop blender and stir oats a couple of times to ensure that all oats have been blended.

Measure out just 2 1/2 C of the oat flour and place in a medium bowl.  Whisk in baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices; set aside.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla extract, oil, and applesauce for 1-2 mins until the consistency is smooth and creamy.  Slowly add in oat flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Gently fold in 1/3 C of chocolate chips.  Pour batter into prepared pan and sprinkle remaining 2 Tbsp of chocolate chips on top.  Bake for 15-25 mins or until knife inserted into center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.  Timing will depend on what size pan you use.  Once finished baking, cool 10 mins on wire rack. Cut into 16 slices.

*Bars can be frozen.  Simply bake, cool, cut; store in Ziplock bags.  Reheat individually for 30 seconds in microwave.