Today’s awesome thing: Slogans that seem like they were written specifically for you.
I recently bought a running pouch that said “yes I run like a girl – try to keep up” and I thought that was the pinnacle of awesomeness. That is, until my roommate bought me this water bottle from lululemon for Christmas:
That could not be more accurate if it was written specifically with me in mind. Genius!
My mother initially got this recipe from The Canadian Living Christmas Book years ago and has been experimenting with and perfecting it every Christmas since. It makes for a nice, light, citrusy addition to the heavy doughy cookies that pervade the majority of the dessert tray. And so long as you have a food processor or blender, they aren’t too hard to make at all. The only problem is that the batch makes 20-25 cookies but they’re so darn good you just might have to double it!
Lemon Squares
Makes 20-25
Ingredients:
For crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flout
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
For filling:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
For garnish:
- Icing sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Blend ingredients for crust in a food processor until crumbly.
3. Press dough into an un-greased 9 inch square cake pan. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. When done, remove from oven and let cool.
4. While crust is baking you can begin to prepare the filling. Cut lemon into eighths and remove seeds. Blend slices in food processor until well broken down. Add in eggs. Pour sugar, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons flour and baking powder into food processor and blend until all combined.
5. Pour filling over crust and bake in oven at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes (I cook mine closer to 30).
6. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle on icing sugar and lemon zest. Let cool completely before cutting into squares and storing in a cookie tin.
Note: If you want to try something different you can trade lime or orange for lemon.
Well, we are a week into December so I feel it is officially time for…CHRISTMAS COOKIES!!! Typically, in my family, we like to keep it simple and just make plain gingerbread cookies (so that between the chocolate chip shortbread and decadent lemon squares people have something a little simpler to turn to). But this time around my friend and I decided to go decorating-mad so icing and assorted candy abounded. This recipe yields the perfect amount and is very easy to follow. I hope you get a chance to make your very own over-decorated treats this holiday season!
Gingerbread Cookies
Makes 20-24 depending on cookie-cutter size
Ingredients:
For cookies:
- 1/2 cup margarine (or butter or shortening)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
For icing:
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
1. In a large bowl cream together margarine and sugar. Stir in molasses and egg.
2. In a medium bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.
3. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix well.
4. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let sit in fridge for an hour.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take dough out of fridge. Flour a rolling pin and cutting board.
6. Roll dough flat to about 1/4 inch in thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. You will end up with discarded dough – just put it back in a ball, roll it again and keep cutting.
7. Lay tin foil on a pan and place cookies on top. Place tray in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
8. While the cookies cool, stir together icing sugar, milk and vanilla. If consistency isn’t quite right, keep adding icing sugar and milk to make it more or less runny. Transfer to a piping bag.
9. Once cookies are completely cooled you can ice and decorate at will!
I also have to share with you some of my favorite cookies because I’ve never decorated like this before!
This one has a candy star and chocolate covered sunflower seeds:
This one has chewy sugar candies as garlands:
And this one might look funny but he’s covered in sprinkles and has Nerds for a mouth so you can’t help but love him:
Hope you enjoy your Christmas baking as much as I did!
I love cupcakes and the only thing better than normal cupcakes is sparkly cupcakes. Which is why I am so grateful to the person who created the funfetti cupcake – because it’s genius! A little over a week ago I finally invested in this cupcake decorating set:
It was barely 12 bucks at Wal Mart so how could I resist!? I then came across a divine looking cupcake recipe which was just calling to be used. And then, miraculously an event came along that called for cupcakes and I embarked on my funfetti venture. And here are the results:
Funfetti Cupcakes
Makes 12
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/3 cup multicoloured sprinkles + more for decorating
For the icing:
- 1 cup butter
- 2 1/2 cups icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon milk
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay 12 cupcake liners in a muffin tin.
2. Cream butter and sugar together in a bowl. Stir in eggs and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl combine flour and baking powder. Pour half this mixture into wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Once combined, pour in milk and stir well. Then add the remaining dry mixture.
4. Once thoroughly mixed, gently fold in the sprinkles. Be careful not to fold too much or the sprinkles will start to blend and you’ll end up with a brownish mix rather than a beautifully multicolored one.
5. Place a scoop of batter in each cupcake liner. Place tray in oven and bake for 18-20 minutes.
6. While cupcakes bake you can work on the icing. Blend together butter, icing sugar and vanilla. If it is too solid, add in the tablespoon milk, if it is still too solid you may continue adding milk, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches desired consistency.
7. If you have an icing dispensing device, transfer icing into the bag (with the desired decorating nozzle), if not you may leave it in the bowl.
8. Remove cupcakes from oven and let cool completely. Once cooled, apply icing using dispensing device or simply a knife if you do not have a decorating set. Top iced cupcakes with sprinkles and you’re done!
After making an incredibly delicious Pumpkin Spice Latte last week, I still had more pumpkin puree to make use of. So I was very grateful to come across this recipe. It is the perfect example of a healthy treat. It literally tastes like a smoothie version of pumpkin pie filling but every single ingredient is good for you. How can you say no to that!?
Pumpkin Spice Smoothie
Makes 1 small dessert sized smoothie (if you want it to be more of a meal I would recommend doubling the ingredients)
Ingredients:
- 2 iced cubes
- half a banana (frozen and cubed)
- 1 tablespoon oats
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon sweetener (I used Splenda)
Directions:
1. Blend iced cubes and frozen banana.
2. Once they are broken down add oats, pumpkin, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and sweetener.
3. Once thoroughly blended transfer to a small glass and eat up with a spoon.
Most of the time I like to eat really healthily. But every once in a while I get intense cravings for chocolate and/or baked goods. Unfortunately, if I make a a tray of brownies I lose all self control after the first bite and the whole batch is gone within an hour. I therefore feel that coming across this recipe is going to be a lifesaver for me (I mean this literally because my arteries probably suffer irreparable damage every time I am exposed to a batch of chocolate baked goods). This dessert is perfect because none of the ingredients are all that bad for you and they create a delicious treat that is well proportioned so there’s no need to feel guilty! So take a load off at the end of the day with this little mug of chocolate goodness!
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar (I used Splenda)
- 2 teaspoons oil (I used olive oil for the health benefits but something more subtle like vegetable oil would also work)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-2 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
1. In a bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until you’ve gotten out all the clumps.
2. Add in sugar, oil, water and vanilla and combine thoroughly.
3. Lightly oil the bottom and lower edges of a small coffee mug.
4. Pour chocolate mixture in mug. Cook in microwave. for 2 minutes.
5. Place chocolate chips in small container and heat in microwave for intervals of 20 seconds, stirring in between. Keep checking on it so the chocolate doesn’t burn. When it has melted together scoop over cake in mug and spread evenly.
And there you have it – your own, personally sized chocolate cake! Eat up completely guilt free!
I have always been a smoothie addict but today was my first time experimenting with the concept of the “green” smoothie. And I am so glad I did! I came across a great tutorial that broke down all the elements of a killer green smoothie and just had to try it. There’s nothing healthier and it really lets you get creative. Here’s a recipe to get you started on experimenting with this nutritious snack:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup milk (I used vanilla almond milk because that makes this recipe vegan and also adds a bit of natural sweetness)
- 1/2 a frozen banana
- 1/2 cup frozen fruit (I used strawberries and cubed mango)
- 2 cubes frozen avocado (optional – but they do add some healthy fat to the mix)
Directions:
1. Blend spinach and milk together for 30 seconds.
2. Add in fruit and blend for 30-60 seconds until fully combined.
3. Pour and enjoy!
I cannot deny it anymore, the truth is out – I am an absolute and complete fruit junkie. I need fruit everyday (preferably with every meal and included in snacks) are I get super bummed out and start craving it like crazy. And sure there are plenty of critics out there that say you should avoid fruit because there’s too much sugar but to them I say – it comes from the earth, it was put here for us to eat, so gosh darn it I’m going to eat it! Of course too much of anything isn’t always the best idea so I try to limit myself to just a few different fruits a day but I’d say I definitely consume a whole lot more than the average person – and I think my body is happier for it!
But there are still lots of fruits that seem to intimidating and I don’t know where to start with them so I end up passing them by at the grocery store. And that seems like a pity. So I finally conquered my nerves, gave into my curiosity and bought a dragonfruit – probably one of the most confusing looking fruits out there:
How beautiful is that!? It’s a very mild fruit – kind of like a dulled down kiwi – but incredibly delicious! And in order to ensure that no one else passes this delectable fruit by – here is a tutorial of how to get this treat ready to eat:
1. Cut the fruit in half lengthwise.
2. Using a spoon scoop around the edges of the white in order to separate it from the pink skin (the pink part is not for eating).
3. Remove white part and cut it into cubes.
4. Toss cubes in a bowl and enjoy!
And that’s your tutorial on how to handle a dragonfruit! Hope you get a chance to enjoy one soon!
This is such an appealing dish both for the eyes and the taste buds. It’s great as a palate cleanser or incredibly healthy dessert. The only time consuming part is removing the currants from their stems but you can also buy currant juice to speed things up. I had a lot of currants left over after my last dinner party and I hate to waste things so I would like to thank Shiny Cooking for the inspiration for this dish. Hope you enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup splenda
- 1 cup currants or currant juice
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions:
1. Bring water and Splenda to a boil in a saucepan. While the mixture is heating you can begin pulling currants off stems if you are using natural berries. Let sugar mixture boil for a couple of minutes and then remove from heat to cool completely.
2. Blend berries in a food processor. Add cooled sugar mixture, lime juice and lemon juice.
3. Put mixture in a container and leave in freezer for a few hours.
4. Once mixture has frozen, remove it and blend in food processor until it takes on the consistency of sorbet. Serve immediately or keep in freezer to enjoy later.
Last night my roommate and I had some friends over to see our new place and to celebrate my 22nd birthday. We created a grand five course meal and I was quite pleased with the results.
We welcomed our guests with a nice fruity wine spritzer.
As we sipped away we enjoyed a lovely assortment of homemade chips and dips.
Then it was time to warm things up with some stuffed mushrooms – fresh from the oven.
We sat down at the table for a light and refreshing salad.
And for the main course a delightful risotto was served.
We decided to cut ourselves some slack and go for the store bought cake. We had initially hoped to create some mini cheesecakes which we’ve been dying to try out but since it was a birthday party we thought a cake would be appropriate. And this vanilla one from Metro is absolutely to die for.
I’ll be posting all the recipes throughout the day – I hope you find some ideas for your next dinner party!
I am an actor and freelance writer in my early 20s. I think we all work so hard that it can sometimes seem impossible to find the positive in this fast-paced, stressful world. But if all we do is worry -- then what's the point of it all? This blog is about my mission to see the silver linings hidden everywhere and to enjoy each and every happy happening.
