Super Power Salad with Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette

Hello lovelies,

I have a confession to make… I'm kind of loving this whole yoga thing. I kind of used to chuckle at these intense yogis, but to tell you the truth I feel extremely fresh and liberated, not to mention strong. I got a month long unlimited membership to Pure Yoga in Ottawa and it's super duper awesome. It's all hot yoga, which took some heavy breathing and a huge water bottle to get used to, but I feel like I'm sweating out all life's problems (TMI??). The studio itself is great because it has so many classes a day, and lots of different styles and instructors, so you never get bored. All I can say is you better watch out or I'll be standing on my head before you know it. Or should I say sirsasana?

To continue with my June theme of salads, here is a fantastic salad I had for dinner this evening. I wanted something quick and nutritious for after class, and this more than delivered! It is a power super salad, meaning it's packed with superfoods such as salmon, blueberries, walnuts, and spinach.

Kristine from the blog I got the recipe from says "Superfoods are foods that have many health benefits- for your heart, brain, and even mood. These foods are (obviously) unprocessed, and they offer health benefits such as reducing heart disease risk, lowering cholesterol, and even warding off cancer", I'm in!!!

Here are some benefits of these superstar ingredients: 
Salmon - Jam packed with omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is great for decreasing your chances of having heart diseases. Salmon also helps with proper brain functioning and is a great source of vitamin A and C. PLUS it's my favourite fish!

Blueberries - These little devils are incredibly high in antioxidants. They help with memory preservation and lower inflammation. They also reduce cancer risks!

Walnuts - These nuts are at the top of their class, unlike many nuts, walnuts are rich in healthy fats. This means that they're know for weight management, cancer prevention, brain power, and the list goes on and on and on!

Spinach - This dark leafy green is a vegetable after my own heart! I have super (I mean SUPER) low iron so I try to sneak spinach in here and there and everywhere. Spinach is not only great for iron levels, skin, and hair, but it is also great for improving blood glucose levels in diabetics, lowering blood pressure, and lowering the risk of developing asthma.

Avocado - Oh baby! I love my avocados! And unlike many foods that I couldn't live without, avocados are good for your eyes, your heart, your cholesterol levels, your brain, your skin, your blood pressure, and yada yada yada… They're basically your best friend.

So I'll stop yapping and give you the recipe ;)

Super Power Salad with Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette

Ingredients

For the salmon:

• 1 lb. fresh salmon, skin on
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 
  

For the vinaigrette:

• 2 ½ tbsp. plain Greek yogurt
• 1 ½ tbsp. honey
• 1 ½ tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the salad:

• 8 cups baby spinach (or any leafy mix)
• ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped
• 1 avocado, pitted and cut into cubes
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Directions

Prepare the salmon:

✿ In a small bowl, stir together the chili powder and brown sugar. Rub over the top of the salmon.

✿ Heat a grill pan over medium heat and lightly spray with cooking spray. Place salmon in the pan, skin side down, and grill until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Remove to a clean plate to cool slightly.

Make the vinaigrette:

✿ Whisk together yogurt, honey, Dijon, and vinegar until smooth. Whisk in olive oil. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

Assemble the salads:

✿ Place spinach bowls. Lightly drizzle with vinaigrette and gently toss to distribute. Top with red onion, walnuts, avocado, blueberries, and goat cheese. Break the salmon into bite-size pieces and arrange on salads. Drizzle salads with remaining vinaigrette and serve.

Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad

Hello lovelies,

I hope everyone's having a great summer! I'm having a blast and the weeks are just flying by. Last weekend was my favourite weekend of the year. It was race the Ottawa Race Weekend, and my cousins Moni and Ali came to visit. It was so nice to have them here. You can tell we're family because we have the same sense of humour! Lots of laughing happened throughout their stay :)

I absolutely love running races and especially this one cause there were spectators along the whole race course. I think I high fived every kid with their hand out! There were 47, 500 runners and you could cut the energy with a knife. Another great part of the weekend was when we found out that my cousin Robyn and her husband Ian had their baby!!! I can't wait to snuggle little Theodor William (a.k.a. Theo).

I'm starting a new series for the month of June! It's all about salads!!! Salads are a great thing to bring to BBQs and whip up on days where the last thing you want to do it turn on the oven. 

This is one of my favourite salads. It's a classic summer pot luck item.

Broccoli, Grape, and Pasta Salad

Ingredients

1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 (16-oz.) package bow-tie pasta
1 pound fresh broccoli
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
8 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

Preparation

1. ✿ Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.
2. ✿ Prepare pasta according to package directions.
3. ✿ Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets from stems, and separate florets into small pieces. 
4. ✿ Whisk together mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; add broccoli, hot cooked pasta, and grapes, and stir to coat. Cover and chill 3 hours. Stir bacon and pecans into salad just before serving.

Enjoy!

xox

Gaby

Coconut Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hello lovelies,

I have a few things to say today.

1) Happy 1st birthday to Breakfast at Midnight. I feel like I could have been cast for Sixteen Candles because I completely forgot about my baby's birthday!!! It was officially April 19th but what's a few days, right?? So HBD to my blog!

Happt first birthday!!!

2) I'm done school! I'm FINALLY done exams and I feel great! No more Bishop's for eight months :(

3) I started my new job and I LOVE it! It's totally up my ally and I can't wait to see what the rest of the summer has in store for me.

4) I made a REALLY good cookie recipe recently. They combine great ingredients and come out soft and chewy.

Coconut Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 2-1/3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup coconut
• 1-1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
• Sprinkles (optional)

Directions

• ✿ Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside.
• ✿ Cream sugar, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs.
• ✿ Blend flour combination into egg mixture.
• ✿ Fold in coconut, marshmallows and chocolate chips.
• ✿ Drop by tablespoon onto greased cookie sheets. 
• ✿ Bake at 375 degrees for 10-14 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

xox 

Gaby

Easter Ham

Hello lovelies,

It's been a while hasn't it? Don't worry I haven't gone completely crazy from exams yet! You heard right, I'm still writing exams! My five finals are over a three week period and it's been so hard to see all the Facebook statuses throughout the weeks about going home. My last one is on the 30th and then I'm home for one day, then my family goes to Toronto for a wedding for the weekend, and then I start my new job in human resources at Hydro Ottawa (Eeeeek so excited!!!) on the following Monday. If you want to read a bit more about my decision to switch jobs/fields read on!


It'll be go go go in the next week as I pack up and leave Lennoxville for 8 MONTHS. Major sad face here, it's bittersweet but it also means I'm embarking on new adventures!!! I mean I'm going to France, like what??

If you want a little update on my past few weeks here it is:
1) We had a major flood in Lennoxville that had everyone across the nation talking about Bishop's. It didn't affect me (much) but we sure got a kick out of all the shenanigans going on in the hood.

2) I hosted Easter dinner and it was fabulous (my new favourite word after my roomies and I watched too many Sex and the City episodes).

Here are a few tips on how to host Easter dinner:

✿ Pot luck all the way!!! When everyone brings something it's so much easier for the host and cheaper! You're also more inclined to make something fancy if you know that's the only thing you're bringing. I guess my friends are all foodies because we ate like kings and queens!

✿ Buy a few nice napkins and centrepieces and it sets the tone for the whole evening! I bought these beautiful linen napkins on sale at Fabric Land and I don't regret the investment for a second.

✿ Have an activity! Maybe I say this because I am a twelve year old girl at heart, but having the egg dyeing table set up was a great thing for people to do while eating appetizers and it gives people the chance to catch up (and for me to put the finishing touches on the meal).

 

✿ Ask for help! I always forget that hosting 15 people for dinner isn't a walk in the park. Don't be afraid to enlist the help of your friends.

✿ Sit at one big table. I can't enforce this enough! We were a little skeptical about having everyone squished in, but we have a huge harvest table with a banquet so we thought why not? It's so much nicer and cozier to have everyone celebrating together instead of having a few smaller tables (à la kids table).

Here's the recipe for the ham I made, it's my gandpapa's recipe!

Grandpapa's Easter Ham

Ingredients:
- 1 bottle of beer
- 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup brown sugar or molasses
- 2 Tbsp dry mustard
- 12 cloves
- Water to cover

Instructions:
✿ Put ham in a pot with all ingredients. Add enough water to cover the ham.
✿ Simmer on low for 1 to 2 hours, don't let boil.

****** I doubled the recipe since I was using a big pot and two hams.

Father cutting the ham

Happy (belated) Easter!

Enjoy

xox

Gaby

I Choose Happy

Hello lovely people,

Get ready guys, this post is going to get a bit deep and there's going to be enough cheesiness to throw a grilled cheese party. This blog has kind of become a way of sharing what's going on in my life and I think this is a good time to talk about happiness :)

Sometimes when I'm super busy and stressed it's so easy to just think about everything that I'm doing wrong. I ask myself how can it be that last year I ran more, studied more, partied more, watched more movies, and got better grades? It baffles me sometimes but then I realize that it doesn't really matter because right now I'm the happiest I've ever been. 

My whole life I've been a rule follower. I like rules, I like being on time, I slow down at yellow lights, I do what I'm supposed to do. Really though, who cares? I think this whole exchange/studying abroad thing has really pushed me into this weird state that I'm not used to. For once, I am not basing my life plans/course of study on money, convenience, or others' expectations, and quite honestly I love it! 

The past few weeks have been really hard for me because I've had to make so many life altering decisions. Ok, maybe not life altering, but decisions that throw a loop in my plans. Last summer, I worked as a financial audit student and I had a great experience, but I wasn't honest and truly happy. It was a great job, one that hundreds of students would die for, but at the end of the day, when I looked at the director of my team, I didn't see myself doing their job in 30 years. So I decided that if I could get a job a truly enjoyed, I would take it. This sounds pretty simple but believe me, it wasn't.

There's nothing I hate more than disappointing people or disappointing myself. So when I got offered a job that got me excited and eager for the summer to start, I had a tough call to make. I had already made a commitment to my job last year, so either way I would be disappointing someone. After many hours of thinking it over, I decided to choose the less glamorous job, the one that paid a lot less, the one that didn't include paid flights to Toronto, and staying in fancy hotels with free room service. Nope, I chose the job that I wanted. I chose to be happy.

Quitting a job is like breaking up with someone. It involves long phone calls, consulting with friends and family, and many lines like "I think it would be better for both of us" and "Don't get me wrong I had an amazing time last summer". At the end of the day though, I feel as free as a bird and I cannot wait to embark on a new adventure this summer. 

Next time you are making a big decision or planning your next big step, don't think so much. There's really only one tiny huge question that needs to be answered… Will you be happy?

Lots of love.

xox

Gaby

• Did someone say Happy?
• Here's a good start. Check out habits of supremely happy people.
• Gretchen Rubin decided to test drive happiness theories in her Happiness Project.
• I bet I can check off a few items on this happiness list.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Hello lovelies,

I hope everyone hasn't lost it yet with exam season right around the corner! I know that at the end of the month I sure will be happy to be home. My goal for this exam period is to continue to eat well, because I know how easy it can be to simply reach for a frozen dinner or go get fast food when you're super busy. I also want to save room for a bit of exercise in this perfect running weather. I can go a little stir crazy if i'm cooped up in my room studying all day, so I'm going to for sure hit the trails throughout the next month.

I made a really nice lemon poppy seed muffin recipe the other day from Joy the Baker, and it was delicious! I guess I wouldn't be posting them if they tasted horrible. Anyways, they were great, and I urge you to try them as they are really spring inspired.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

2/3 cup granulated sugar

zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 cups all-purpose flour (or I used whole wheat flour and they were still tasty)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup buttermilk (or mix a bit of lemon juice and reg. milk, and let sit for an alternative)

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

2 Tablespoons poppy seeds

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar (for topping the batter before baking)

✿ Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Line a muffin tray with paper muffin liners (or grease the pan), place the muffin pan on a baking sheet and set aside.

✿ In a large bowl, rub the granulated sugar with the lemon zest until the sugar is lightly colored and scented with lemon.  Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a medium sized bowl whisk together the eggs, buttermilk (see note above) vanilla extract, melted butter and lemon juice.

✿ Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together.  When almost thoroughly mixed, add the poppy seeds.  Divide batter between muffin cups.  Sprinkle each would be muffing with granulated sugar.

✿ Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until the tops are golden and a skewer inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.

Enjoy!

xox

Gaby

Spiced Apple, Banana, and Pumpkin Muffins {VEGAN}

Hello lovelies!

I have some sad news to bring to you… This will be my last blog post of the year before I go on exchange. The stress has just been too much. April Fools!!!!! Haha sorry that's a day late ;)

On a nicer note, what a beautiful day it is today here in Lennoxville! The sun is shining and overly ambitious people aren't wearing jackets. Yep, I think spring has arrived. I told ya it was right around the corner :) It was so nice to walk to class today without 75 layers on. Hopefully this isn't some cruel April Fools joke and that it doesn't go back to -28C tomorrow. This year my prank game just wasn't up to par for the big day. Well it's kind of April Fools everyday with me so that's ok! I'm always telling little fibs and making dumb jokes, constantly saying "psych!" or "just kidding". I even earned the nickname El Pranko… So I'm just happy nobody got me too good yesterday.

If you're feeling bakey (bake-ish?) you should definitely make these muffins! They combine the best ingredients and make for SUPER moist vegan muffins. Sometimes I find that vegan baking doesn't fully taste like "normal" baking but these puppies are sooooo good!! I altered the recipe a bit and ended up making 12 muffins and a small loaf with the leftovers. So you might have to use a bit of personal judgment when baking them because it was kind of an improv act.

If you have any questions about baking/making these delicious treats just comment below. I'm always checking my email and so I'll reply as soon as I can!

Spiced Apple, Banana, and Pumpkin Muffins {VEGAN}

Ingredients:

- 2 bananas, peeled and mashed

- 1 cup pumpkin puree

- 6 Tbs unsweetened of apple sauce

- 2 tsp of coconut oil, melted and cooled

- 4 Tbs of maple syrup

- 2 tsp of vanilla extract

- 2 cups wholewheat flour

- 2/3 cup brown sugar

- 2 tsp of baking soda

- 4 tsp of baking powder

- a pinch of salt

- 2 tsp of ground cinnamon

- 1 teaspoon of all spice

- 1/2 teaspoon of cloves

- 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

- 4 Tablespoons of water

 

Preparation

1 – Preheat your oven to 350F and grease loaf pan and muffin tins.

2 – In a large bowl sift  flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and spices and stir to combine.

3 – In a small bowl or jug stir together mashed banana, pumpkin and apple puree along with coconut oil, vanilla and maple syrup until well combined.

4 – Add banana/apple/pumpkin mix to your flour/sugar mix and stir until just combined.

5 – Gradually add in your water 1 Tablespoon at a time and stir to combine until you reach your normal banana bread/cake batter consistency.

6 – Pour batter into your prepared muffin tins and poor the leftover batter into your loaf pan. Sprinkle muffins with some oats and a little brown sugar (optional).

7 – Bake the muffins for 25 mins or until they are golden brown and the tops springs back when lightly pressed. A toothpick should have just a few crumbs attached when inserted into the centre. The loaf may need to cook a little longer (30+ minutes).

p.s. Aren't these muffin liners absolutely gorgeous?? Maggie gave them to me! Isn't she sweet :)

Enjoy!

xox