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Saturday 30 June 2012

Baked Avocado Fries

I adore Avocado. They are super delicious and soooo good for you. A typical Avocado has about 35% more potassium than a banana and is rich in vitamins E, K and the ever important B vitamins. They are also really high in fiber.

I made these Avocado fries the other night and they were pretty good! Next time, I might make a few changes, but they were decent for a first attempt.

What you will need:

1 Avocado
1/4 cup of bread crumbs
1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
1Tsp Paprika
1Tsp Garlic Powder

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Cut your Avocado into slices.




Mix your bread crumbs and spices together in a bowel. Place one slice at a time into the bread crumb mixture. Make sure that the slices are completely covered.




Place the Avocado slices on a baking sheet lined with Parchment Paper and bake for about 15-20 minutes turning once about half way.



Once they are golden brown they are ready to eat! I dipped mine in some ranch dressing. Enjoy!!



Baby's Got A New Set Of Wheels

Take a look at this picture. Yup you saw correctly. That is a baby this man is toting around on his motorized cart. I managed to snap this shot outside of Value Village in Guelph this afternoon. This father of the year had his baby (well I'm assuming its his baby) sitting in the back part of his awesome set of wheels, wearing a "Wingman" t-shirt and he is smoking as well.

Now I'm not a mother, but I don't think this is ok...


Wednesday 27 June 2012

Baked Cheese Chips - For Low Carbers


This is another Pintrest recipe find. I came across these cheese chips and I couldn't resist giving them a try. I'm a huge chip and dip fan. I can eat a whole bag of chips along with a full bowl of dip in one sitting - I know, I'm disgusting :) Since I've been trying to live la vida low carb, chips are a big no no. These are perfect and taste great.

 In the original recipe, she shreds the cheese and adds seasonings. I honestly hate grating cheese, so that isn't an option for this girl. All I did was cut the cheese into small slices.


You will need:

-Cheese of your choice. This time I used mild cheddar
-Parchment paper-must be parchment
-Baking sheet
-Paper towel
-Sour Cream
-Salsa



Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. While the oven is doing its thang, cut up your cheese.



Lay the parchment paper on the baking sheet and place the cheese on the parchment paper. Don't over crowd them, they will spread out.




Bake until bubbly and brown, about 10 minutes. Once you take them out of the oven, place the crispy cheese on paper towel and blot with another piece of paper towel. You don't realize how greasy cheese is until you cook or bake with it.



I ate these with sour cream mixed with my favorite salsa. Presidents Choice White Corn and Black Bean. Seriously delicious.



Enjoy!!


Tuesday 26 June 2012

The Trick is...


I've Got A Lovely Bunch Of Coconuts...

There is a lot of buzz about Coconut Oil. Its all over Pinterest and featured in magazines. There was even a news report about Coconut Oil helping to reverse Alzheimers. As far as I'm concerned, Coconut Oil is the greatest health and beauty product ever!!

I have been using it for about a year. I eat it, I wear it, I live it. I use it as a moisturizer when I get out of the shower and I even put it on my face. I have super oily skin and I'm acne prone and this stuff works great! It doesn't clog your pores and it actually doesn't make your skin greasy. I also use it in my hair once a week as a treatment. I try to ingest some everyday, either in my coffee (its actually really good), on low carb toast or in my morning smoothie.

The particular brand I buy is Nutiva. You can find it here for a pretty good price. When looking for coconut oil, you have to make sure that it is virgin (unrefined), organic and cold pressed.  Any coconut oil that has been refined has gone through heat processing that makes it loose its goodness.

Coconut oil is Anti-bacterial ( kills bacteria that causes certain infections), Anti-microbial ( contains medium chain fatty acids (similar to that in breast milk) which is like a super hero in the anti-microbial world, Anti-fungal (kills fungi and yeast), Anti-inflammatory (suppresses inflammation).

Here is just a few things coconut oil can do for you:

  • After Shave – coconut oil will help heal your skin after shaving without clogging pores.
  • Chapstick – just rub a little into lips and it not only acts as a softening agent but it also has an SPF of about 4 so you get a little protection!
  • Bug Bites – when applied directly to a bug bite, coconut oil can stop the itching and burning sensation as well as hasten the healing process.
  • Dandruff – coconut oil soaks into the scalp moisturising dry skin and relieves symptoms of dandruff.
  • Hair conditioner/ Deep Treatment – massage the oil into your hair and scalp, cover with a shower cap and leave on for a few hours or over night.
  • Oily Skin Fix – Use a pea sized amount underneath makeup or alone to reduce the appearance of oil.
  • Skin Problems – coconut oil relieves skin problems such as psoriasis, dermatitis, and eczema.
  • Stretch Mark Cream – coconut oil is great at nourishing damaged skin. It may not be the magic stretch mark cure but it will help.
  • Sun Burn Relief – rub liberal amounts of coconut oil into the affected area to help soothe and speed up the healing.
  • Wrinkle Prevention and Wrinkle Reducer – rubbing coconut oil on wrinkles and sagging skin helps strengthen the connective tissues to bring back that youthful look!
  • Breastfeeding – for breastfeeding moms, consuming 3 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil daily will enrich the milk supply.  
  • Digestion - the saturated fats in coconut oil help control parasites and fungi that cause indigestion and other digestion related problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. The fat in coconut oil also aids in the absorption of vitamins, minerals and amino acids, making you healthier all around.

Need another reason to start using this stuff?  This video will seal the deal. Alzheimers runs in my family and this Doctor has found that coconut oil has actually reversed some of the symptoms of Alzheimers! Amazing. Simply amazing

Check out this video from CBN on Coconut Oil

http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/mp4/LJO190v1_WS




For more information on coconut oil please visit Wake Up World  




Saturday 23 June 2012

Fixing A Broken Compact

Ok, so I saw this on Pinterest and I just had to see if it actually worked...It does!




All you need is Rubbing Alcohol.



Add a few drops of Rubbing Alcohol to the broken powder and mix it around. It should form a paste. I put a little too much Rubbing Alcohol in mine so it was more of a brown liquid than a paste.


 

 Let the compact dry over night. The Rubbing Alcohol will completely dry and you should have just the powder left.

 Ok so it doesn't look perfect, but its better than throwing it away :)






Friday 22 June 2012

There Is Still Good Out There...

This is one of the most touching posts I have seen a long time. It's a great reminder that there are fantastic people out there, and that I want to be one of them.

BuzzFeed

21 Pictures That Will Restore Your Faith In Humanity

People aren't always awful. Sometimes, they're maybe even just a little bit wonderful. Here are 21 pictures to remind you of that fact.

1. This picture of Chicago Christians who showed up at a gay pride parade to apologize for homophobia in the Church.

(Michelle Gantner / Maladjusted Media)

... and the reaction from the parade.

(Michelle Gantner / Maladjusted Media)

2. This story about Japanese senior citizens who volunteered to tackle the nuclear crisis at Fukushima power station so that young people wouldn't have to subject themselves to radiation.

Source: bbc.co.uk

3. This picture of two Norwegian guys rescuing a sheep from the ocean.

4. This sign at an awesome bookshop.

5. This poll about what Snooki should name her child.

6. The moment in which this Ohio athlete stopped to help an injured competitor across the finish line during a track meet.

17-year-old Meghan Vogel was in last place in the 3,200-meter run when she caught up to competitor Arden McMath, whose body was giving out. Instead of running past her to avoid the last-place finish, Vogel put McMath's arm around her shoulders, carried her 30 meters, and then pushed her over the finish line before crossing it.
Image by The Daily Call, Mike Ullery / AP

7. This exchange between a 3-year-old girl and a shopping center.

8. This note that was handed to a waiter along with a $20 bill by an elderly lady in his restaurant.

9. This sign at an awesome Subway restaurant.

10. This picture of a villager carrying stranded kittens to dry land during floods in Cuttack City, India.

Image by Biswaranjan Rout / AP
Image by Biswaranjan Rout / AP

11. This sign at an awesome drycleaner's.

Plaza Cleaners in Portland, OR, helped over 2,000 unemployed workers who couldn't afford dry cleaning. The store's owner estimated that it cost his company $32,000 dollars.

12. This photograph of a man giving his shoes to a homeless girl in Rio de Janeiro.

13. This picture of a firefighter administering oxygen to a cat rescued from a house fire.

(TOM BAUER/Missoulian)

14. And this one.

Image by Chris Butler / AP

15. This interaction between a Guatemalan girl and a tourist she just met.

16. This gesture from a neighbor.

17. These photos of two children collaborating to rescue a dog who had fallen into a ravine.

18. This note on a young family's check.

19. This exchange between a protester and a soldier during a protest in Brazil.

(Imagens/ TVBA)

20. These pictures of a man jumping into rough waters to rescue a stranger's Shih Tzu in Melbourne.

Sue Drummond was walking her beloved Shih Tzu, Bibi, on a pier in Melbourne, when a fierce gust of wind picked him up and hurled him into the rough waters of the bay. A passerby, Raden Soemawinata, who happened to be on the pier that day to scatter his grandmother's ashes, wasted no time in stripping down and diving into the bay to rescue the animal.
(Photos: Chris Scott)

21. And this photograph of two best friends on a swing.

Source: volobuev.me

TGIF!!

Well my lovelies, it's Friday!! After all the heat and thunder storms we had this week has had, the weekend of decent weather is well deserved! It is so gorgeous outside, it seems a shame to be wasting the day at work-HA! As if I had a choice lol.

Tonight I'll be hitting up The Happy Traveller Cafe & Bistro with some very lovely ladies that I adore. I always look forward to these nights out, because its a chance to catch up, reminisce and be our selves again. No babies, dogs, husbands/man friends (ok I'm the only one with a man friend lol), work and family. Its just us girls. Its wonderful. Of course there will be discussion on the babies, men, work etc, but I think sometimes, women need to take some time for themselves and vent. This is a perfect opportunity.

Time is moving way faster that we realise, so this weekend go out and spend some time with your soul sista's or soul brotha's. Soak up every second the weekend has to offer. Bask in the sun, eat, drink, have a great time and create some wonderful memories.


{Mario Perez}

Thursday 21 June 2012

Words To Live By....

This is possibly one of the truest statements I have ever read! This is exactly how I live my life, always have and I always will ♥♥♥



Tuesday 19 June 2012

Chicken Codon Bleu-ish with Mashed Cauliflower Faux-tatoes

Chicken Cordon Blue isn't something that I eat very often and this is actually the first time I've made it. I always thought it was overly complicated and tricky. I found this recipe on Pinterest and it seemed easy enough, so I gave it a try. It was super easy, no mess and tasted great!

I almost never measure anything when I'm cooking. The original recipe has measurements if you would prefer to be precise:)

For the Chicken you will need:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Shaved deli ham
Cream cheese
Cheese (Swiss is preferred but any kind will do. I used mozzarella)
Chopped Garlic
Salt and pepper



Heat your oven to 375 degrees F. The original recipe says 350 degrees F, but I like my bacon crispy. Place one of the pieces of chicken on a piece of plastic wrap and fold the wrap over the chicken. This keeps the bacteria from the chicken with the chicken and not on your meat tenderiser, counter tops and cutting boards. Pound the chicken flat.



Place some ham, a chunk of cream cheese, garlic, regular cheese, salt and pepper on to the chicken.



Fold the chicken around the ham/cheese filling. Wrap one or two slices of bacon around the chicken using the bacon to seal any holes where the cheese can melt out.



Place the bacon wrapped chicken in a glass baking dish lined with parchment paper for easy cleaning. Trust me you will want to make sure you use parchment paper. Baked/melted cheese is the devil to remove from dishes. Place in the oven and bake for about an hour.



After an hour, check the chicken to make sure its cooked-Safety first! I set the broiler on for a minute or two to make the bacon even more crispy.



The Mashed Cauliflower Faux-tatoes is something I've been making for a while. In the last year I have started living a little more low carb. This is a staple food in our home. I make a big batch, separate it into ziplock bags and freeze it for easy dinners through the week. The faux-tatoes we had with the Chicken Cordon Bleu-ish came from the freezer so I don't have any pictures of the steps to make it. Next time I make it, I'll post some pics.

There are a few recipes for the Mashed Faux-tatoes on various websites. The one I loosely followed is this one from Linda's Low Carb. I added a few other things to it to make it more interesting. This stuff is so good that even Terrill loves it! I even made it for my in-laws without telling them that it was cauliflower.

What you will need:

One bag of frozen cauliflower or one whole fresh
Fresh whipping cream
Chopped garlic
Flavoured cream cheese (herb and garlic or chive and onion work nicely. If you only have plain cream cheese, that will work too!)
Butter
Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Again I never measure anything :)

Chop the cauliflower to smallish pieces and boil in salted water until cooked. Drain and place cauliflower back into the pot with the burner still on. This will help get rid of any extra water. Stir the cauliflower around so it doesn't burn. You only need to do this for a minute or so.

Once the extra water has been cooked off, put the cauliflower into a food processor. Add all of the other ingredients. Turn on the processor and let it do its thang until you have the consistency of smooth mashed potatoes. Give it a little taste to see if you need to add any more of the seasonings. The trick is to make the cauliflower not taste like cauliflower. You want it tasting buttery and creamy.


Happy Eating!