thinking out loud

I'd be lying if i said that Christmas hasn't been on my mind a lot lately. ANYWAY. I've had a lot of other things on my mind too, which is what today's post is all about: thinking out loud.

This link-up is brought to you by the lovely miss Amanda from running with spoons. I've never tried running with spoons but i think i would be really great at it, especially if there are treats involved.

1. Even though it's only thursday, it actually feels more like a friday for me. as of 2:44pm today, my "little taste tester" officially started his christmas holidays and has the next sixteen days off from school.

2. What is your favorite Christmas song/album? My favorite is The Bells Of Dublin by The Chieftains. When I was growing up, celebrating Christmas with my family, and especially with my brothers and sisters, was an unforgettable experience. Our father played this album every year at Christmas time and made this album unforgettable for me and for all of us. #ILoveYouDaddy



3. Speaking of music, I've been listening to Lorde's album more and more over time, and the more I listen to it, the more songs I like. Her music is like a breath of fresh air and then some...and she's a kiwi too, which I adore. Lorde fans..what are your favorite songs off the album?



4. I've been watching Once Upon A Time on Netflix and I am loving it. With each episode, I feel like I'm taking a trip into the woods to discover the mythology behind Red Riding Hood or to learn more about Snow White. Rumplestiltskin has really been messing with my head though.

5. There's a new gym in Ottawa called Liquid Gym. It's a North American first - with physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, recreation, training, and an endless pool, all in the same location.  This is obviously not your typical gym though. It’s for people with injuries or medical conditions who will benefit from hydrotherapy and range of motion exercises. The Ottawa Senators have one of these amazing underwater treadmills in their dressing room, but the Liquid Gym has six of them.

6. I love all things ginger (and molasses too). When a friend messaged me to tell me about a new Ginger Secret she had heard about, and that it was the best thing ever, of course I was all ears. I laughed at her because I've known about the Ginger Secret for years and I can attest that it is the fastest way to prepare fresh ginger, plus you will be able to always have it on hand. Curious yet? Here it is. Enjoy!

7. On the topic of food, there are so many things I want to make this weekend. Cookies, balls, squares, salads, green things, blue things, and purple things too! What are you making for Christmas? Please share. I will love you forever! :)

Seven is my favorite/lucky number...so that's my cue to say Goodnight, Sleep Tight and Shine Bright! X

sharing is caring : december

Happy Monday! It was a cold, snowy weekend here in Ottawa, but I managed to spend some quality time on myself while "my little taste tester" was with his Dad.

In spite of the cold weather, I finally started Christmas shopping, mailed holiday cards, and sipped on hot cocoa non-stop. It’s so nice to have some time to observe all of the rituals and rhythms of the season. and now, as I begin a new week, some recipes and reads that have caught my eye lately.

I don’t know what’s more exciting than a square of perfectly flavored dark chocolate …on a stick …begging to be dipped in some hot milk. right?

If you're thinking about edible gift giving, these Hot Chocolate Sticks from fed & fit.com look like a perfect gift to me!

Sugar cookies are one of my favorites during the festive season. Purely Twins share a fabulous recipe for the best grain-free egg-free sugar cookies. "My little taste tester" thinks we should make these and leave them out for Santa this year. How cute! He still believes! But then again, so do I !  :)

Speaking of Santa, I'll bet this Kick Ace Extra Sharp Holiday Cheddar Cheese Ball would kick Santa in the ace.

When I saw Emma's Cabbage, Apple and Pomegranate Salad with Ginger Almond Dressing I knew it was a winner. Packed full of superfoods, this salad is so colorful, creative and fun.

I love all things ginger and so does North America's Gluten-Free expert, Kathy Smart. Kathy's No-Bake Gingerbread Man Cookie Dough Balls need to get in my mouth right MEOW!

Speaking of ginger, I love how Davida's Chocolate Gingerbread Granola Bars look... like the perfect thing to make for a Christmas dinner extravaganza. These are definitely on my to-make list!

 

1. For a long time I went to doctors, alternative medicine professionals, healers and therapists looking for their answers, looking for their handouts and looking for someone to fix me. I viewed myself as broken, as someone who needed to be fixed and glued together. At one point in 2011, I had enough of modern medicine. I was upset, frustrated and disappointed. I felt like the doctors didn't care or pay any attention to me. They didn't find anything wrong with me. Yet they wanted to give me some pills without any reason but guess-work. I had enough and said: no, thank you.

When I moved on to nutritional medicine, got into holistic health and continued my natural, holistic healing journey...and realized that my health is 100% in my own hands. Taking Responsibility For Your Health helped me realize that I am not broken. I do not need to be fixed. I am responsible for my own healing.

I am trying to accept myself as a whole person. I am not perfect. I have things to heal on the physical, emotional and spiritual level. But I am a whole person with my imperfections and problems. I am not broken. I do not need fixing. I am a person with some challenges who is responsible for her own healing journey.

2. Nicole's blog posts are always so inspiring, and with the new year creeping up on us, A Starting Point For Change helped me recognize that it's time to love myself and treat myself well, starting now. it's time to create magic in my life. I deserve it!

3. I have so many food, environmental and chemical sensitivities. Grocery shopping used to be so overwhelming but once I broke things down, it was not so intimidating for me. I stand by the article 3 Health Foods To Avoid. My genetics are starting to catch up with me, plus I have "my little taste tester" to think about too, so I take this stuff very seriously now.

4. This list may seem a little silly but if you're interested, 34 Ways To Make You Stuff Last As Long As Possible can, supposedly, help you stretch your dollar. I had no idea that breaking apart your bananas or wrapping the stems in tin foil makes them last longer!

5. Ben Ralston hits a raw nerve with me in his article Can't Live With My Wife, Can't Live Without My Son. I could share my story as well as it seems so similar, yet different, but almost the same: Pain. Loss. Change. Resistance. Grief. Sorrow. Despair. Rage. The Void. Isolation. Loss of Purpose. Helplessness. Agony. Frustration... -A mother unable to protect her own kids is not a feeling that I can even begin to describe...If you are not familiar with Ben Ralston and his work - or if you are doing your own "work" you may want to go visit his page.

6. The 8-Hour Sleep Myth: How I Learned That Everything I Knew About Sleep Was Wrong, for those who think themselves failure for not sleeping 8 hours straight through the night - “Even a soul submerged in sleep is hard at work and helps make something of the world.” ― Heraclitus, Fragments

7. And finally, The Delicious Dish introduced me to Pete Schweddy and his balls, which sound like a great gift idea this season. Ben & Jerry liked the idea too. Unfortunately, I cannot find this flavor of ice cream anywhere in Canada.

What's one recipe that you have really loved lately?
What have you been reading recently? <---- I have Mockingjay beside me on my bedside table but I haven't started reading it yet.

what i ate wednesday : testing, testing

happy wednesday!

today's what i ate wednesday photos are recipes that i tested and really loved...

The Only, Raw Vegan Granola Recipe You'll Ever Need

I'm hooked on this stuff! 

I've tried several raw granola recipes, and this one is the easiest and best tasting. 

Although Gena recommends a dehydrator for this, I cooked mine for several hours on the lowest temperature setting on my oven (around 115 degrees). 

Baking it at 350 for 30-40 minutes supposedly works well too.

Apple & Raisin Oaty Breakfast Cookies

Cookies for breakfast? Hella good!

I made these cookies for my "little taste tester" before school and he loved them!

The original recipe called for raisins but I added chocolate chunks and mini chips instead.

Chocolate for breakfast? I say YES!

Chocolate Almond Cookies With Fudgy Frosting

 If you're looking for something to do with the leftover nut pulp from nut mylk, these cookies are the perfect solution. 

I may have found my new favorite chocolate frosting too.

You will either love me or loathe me for sharing this recipe with you. 

There is no recipe for the next one

This is just a simple bean and lentil salad that I threw together.

Moosewood's Caribbean Stew

Sweet potato, red bell pepper, tomato, cabbage and kale in a perfect not-to-spicy broth.

I WILL be making this again! It's that good! 

Raw Pizza Snack Bites

These savory little bites of goodness are soooo good! 

If you've never tried nutritional yeast, this is the perfect recipe for it.

And honestly, they really DO taste like pizza! :)

Special thanks to my favorite sweet pea, Jenn for hosting the what i ate wednesday party on her blog.

If you want to see what other people around the blogging world eat, visit Jenn's blog. 

You'll probably find something you really like.

(selfie) + spill it, sundays

happy sunday! it's the first of december..and Ba Da Ba Da Da...i'm lovin' it (already). i do not eat mcdonald's.

spill it, sundays is a new ingredient brought to you by the big letter A (Arman), of Australia, where today is the first day of summer.

spill #1: i may move to Australia for the next several months.

special thanks to the big man, Arman, for hosting this super sunday bowl of fun!

oh, what a night! early december two thousand thirteen. what a very special time for me...

i don't usually do the selfie thing...

question. how many pics do you take t'il you get to the center of it ?

spill #2: it took me three shots to get this pic (i'm not drunk).

spill #3: cultural background
half scottish and half irish, french and dutch.
mom has red hair. dad has had red hair. two brothers and five sisters have red hair.
none of our children have red hair though.
poo.

spill #4: most memorable birthday + why
my tenth birthday was pretty special. for the first time, i had a birthday party at my house with my friends. my sixteenth birthday was pretty special too. my friends surprised me with dinner at eastside mario's + gifts. my twenty third birthday was a celebration with a few close family members while i was in vancouver. we even had cake :) i celebrated my thirtieth birthday with my sisters..poppin' bottles in the ice...

my thirtieth bday with three of my five sissys.
as i remember what a night! 

spill #5: one thing i want to accomplish in my lifetime
i will own a bistro/cafe/restaurant.
"my little taste tester" thought of a great name for my first product.
he already made a commercial about it too.
i got this.
   

what a lady, what a night!

spill #6: stoopidest thing i've ever done 

met a guy in toronto and went to british columbia with him the same day. 
i left three days later...

but i got to stay here, which was amazing! 

spill #7: childhood hero

mariah carey. 

or any female singer who had a chance to sing on star search. 

i wanted to be that girl!