Hudson Elliott

it's almost over

2012-02-16T21:45:00.000-08:00

Winter. It's almost done.

Nelson the Seagull. Zucchini cupcake, cream cheese frosting. Cappuccino. Company.

Crows (not seagulls, obvs.) sitting on a wire. Kings of Vancouver.

I might not see them from my window, but the mountains are still there.

the cats would like to welcome you...

2012-02-13T22:20:00.001-08:00

...To their new magical sunny oasis. On sunny days that is.

Joseph, the cats, and I all moved to a new suite a little over a week ago and we are still working on getting settled. We were forced to take a trip to Ikea (which lasted an excruciating 3.5 hours on a Friday night) when we realized we simply had too much stuff and not enough places to put it. Tragic. I hate getting new things and I especially hate getting new things from Ikea — but when we can afford to replace it with better furniture, we will.

The cats are adjusting nicely. Our soul mate, Ruby (the grey one) was at ease right from the start, although a little clingy, she always seems to feel that if she is with us then everything else will be okay. Mingus on the other hand (the white one) hid under the couch the entire move and then hid under the bed for another two days. His entire kitten life was thrown upside-down. He's doing much better now and Ruby has been playing with him and bathing him. What a nice gal.

Do you like their new collars? Joseph thought the skull and crossbones collar would toughen Mingus up a little.

Our bedroom is already arranged differently and the suitcases that the cats were lounging on here are finally put away. It will likely be months before we get some of our furniture back from Edmonton (we have been using our very charming patio set to eat dinner!) so I may only share little photos here and there of the new place until then.

moving day!

2012-02-03T08:39:00.001-08:00

It's the last time I'll say goodnight to this (this was last night, honest)

And the last time I'll say good morning to this

We are trading in our luxurious condo with a view (err... not that we had a choice) for a character suite with a garden. It's a fair trade. That's honest to God fog by the way. If you're from the prairies, like me, this happens on nice cold humid mornings like today. The sun comes up to a clear body of water, but slowly the fog starts to creep in. It's about twice as high as I'm typing as it was while I took the photos. In a few minutes it will fade away, revealing a beautiful sunny day and clear icy cold waters. Have you ever woken to fog horns? Repeatedly? It's not as bad as you'd think... when they are 1 kilometre away, in fact I rather like them.

nice day for a green dinner

2012-01-18T21:49:00.002-08:00

I know all of Canada seems to be in a deep freeze right now and I just wanted you to know that Vancouver wasn't left out. I mean it's only cold for Vancouver standards, and it's only a Vancouver amount of snow, but still the city is feeling the chill.

Look! The snow wasn't even melting from my balcony. Amazing!

I decided it was a nice day for some spicy green curry. I made the green curry paste from scratch with lime leaves, lemongrass, cilantro, Thai basil, serrano peppers, lime juice, garlic, and shallots. Yum! The curry itself had chick peas, string beans, spinach, and red peppers, served with brown rice, and I topped the whole thing with pistachios, just for a little extra green on top.

I hope you are all keeping warm, wherever you are! (Especially if you are a certain fearless lady alone in a cabin in the woods!!)

december star chart embroidery

2012-01-10T21:54:00.001-08:00

This was part of the gift package my sister received for Christmas this year. Using the custom dyed fabric I mapped out a fairly accurate star chart for the month of December (minus a few stars of course). You can see the North star as the great big one, and Ursa Minor attached to it, a.k.a. her clothing label. (p.s. be sure to check out her brand new website!!)

I've seen this idea floating around from a few clever people and I thought it was a challenge I would like to make by myself (small star stitches? I can handle that). I liked the final result so much, I think I'll make a few for my own walls.

dyeing fabric with red cabbage

2012-01-02T21:14:00.000-08:00

Hello and Happy New Year! I hope you all had a fantastic December and Christmas season! I feel almost as busy today as I did a couple weeks ago, but luckily I had a nice visit back home for Christmas and a restful New Year's in Vancouver.

One project that I was busy working on in December was trying my hand at using red cabbage to create a natural dye for fabric. I had read that red cabbage makes an excellent deep blue dye and I wanted to try it with some canvas I had bought. My goal was to create a nice stormy blue colour, to mimic the sky, however my original cabbage dye was more of a mauve sunset than a cloudy night.

I sliced up one medium sized red cabbage and allowed it to simmer with a few litres of very salty water. After about 45 minutes I separated the cabbage from the dye and added my fabric. I let the fabric sit in the dye overnight.

This was the colour of the fabric after removing it from the dye — not exactly what I was aiming for.

It turned a nice soft purple when it was dry, which was very beautiful, but in no way served the purpose I needed it to.

So finally I resorted to good old fashioned navy blue fabric dye, straight from the box. I mixed the dye according to instructions and then folded my fabric into quarters, laying it out on a plastic surface and then applying the dye in puddles, letting some spots get more saturated than others. My final product looked like this:

I like to think having the purple underneath added to the overall depth (right?) I'll show you what this stormy fabric turned into very soon!

botanical holiday cards

2011-12-21T08:19:00.000-08:00

I finally got around to sending out my Christmas cards last week. It was quite an undertaking to illustrate all of these by hand, but luckily I didn't have too many to make. December has flown by; I've been busy making Christmas presents and seasonal edibles, as well as these cards and working overtime. My partner and I are also searching for a new apartment, (and frantically trying to clean ours) but it looks like that will be delayed another month. 'Tis the season! What have you been up to?

lighting the advent wreath

2011-11-30T21:38:00.001-08:00

I finally finished my advent wreath today, a little late, but who's going to tell? For those who are unfamiliar, an advent wreath marks the weeks leading up to Christmas. It's a Christian tradition, meaning different things to different denominations, but for me, growing up in the United Church of Canada it was four very clear messages that I think everyone could empathize with: hope, peace, joy, and love. Each candle (traditionally three purple and one pink) was lit, one each week, until finally on Christmas Eve all four would be lit as well as a white candle that would sit in the middle representing Christ.

Parts of this tradition still speak to me and I wanted to update it in a way that fits with my current lifestyle. I made a wreath to sit on my coffee table out of curly willow and seeded eucalyptus and adorned it with four locally made beeswax candles. I think most of us can agree that Christmas has lost a certain something in recent years and sitting down to light a candle and reflect on important values was something I could get behind.

Using super fresh and bendy curly willow I created a frame with wire ties.

I then threaded small stems of seeded eucalyptus throughout until it looked balanced.

The candles are standing glamourously on little tin foil stands. Oh and lets be smart and not let the candles burn down too much, okay?

the beginnings of an advent wreath

2011-11-23T20:45:00.001-08:00

I started a little wreath making today. I have seen so many gorgeous and cute do-it-yourself advent calendars this year but god knows I'm not going to come up with 25 clever little trinkets for my loved one, so I thought I would take a different path. Growing up in the United church of Canada we always had an advent wreath as part of our Christmas decorations. To be honest we very rarely lit the candles at home, but it was part of the very sacred tradition of Christmas decor which could simply not be messed with.

I thought I would update the style a bit and got started today by shaping some seeded eucalyptus. I'll show you the finished product just as soon as my florist gets in some curly willow!

super moist chocolate & pear cake

2011-11-21T22:03:00.001-08:00

Inspired by the beauty of this seasonal fruit and the irresistible looking recipe over on Honey & Jam, I made a pear and chocolate cake last week. This was a deliciously moist chocolate cake, and I used part olive oil in mine, so it had a nice crisp crust. (p.s. turned out fine using whole wheat pastry flour too!) All the pear chunks sunk to the bottom unfortunately, but it doesn't really matter when you take a bite, does it?

a rainy day at home

2011-11-17T23:19:00.001-08:00

It snowed in Vancouver tonight if you can believe it. I stared out the window with my cat Mingus in awe for several minutes. It didn't last long, the flakes had barely begun to form a thin layer on the roof tops before the magic ended. As the silence wore off and the gentle crystals started descending much quicker I promptly turned from the window and planted my behind firmly in the bathtub.

colourful autumn pears

2011-11-14T21:59:00.001-08:00

I made something very tasty with some of these last week, I'll share the end result soon. (Aren't they gorgeous?)

bosc

asian

red bartlett

green anjou

east village bakery & orchid update

2011-11-04T09:40:00.001-07:00

Good morning! I am having such a nice relaxing Friday (my day off) so far this morning. It's a beautiful sunny and crisp autumn day in Vancouver and I'm just enjoying a little cup of chai and some toast with tomato slices.

A few days ago I went to go check out a new-ish bakery to my neighbourhood, East Village Bakery. A small little shop baking throughout the day, serving the local Hastings residents, East Village offers your choice of hearty, whole grain breads, and decadent tarts and pastries. Have I mentioned that I love living in a neighbourhood and city that cares so deeply about good food?!

(Okay so I still think the Tartine loaf looks a little tastier, but I liked the similarity between the two loaves.)

Remember this orchid? It is blooming along very happily. As much as I love plain old foliage, flowering plants really do bring such unexpected brightness to the home. I hope you have a great Friday!

a lifetime gift: a shun knife

2011-11-02T07:15:00.000-07:00

I wasn't really expecting anything when Joseph and I had an anniversary this past week, but he surprised me with a gift for us: a Shun knife. This knife is the knife of my dreams (what you don't dream about knives?). I love the wood detail of the handle and the Japanese craftsmanship. This knife will likely last us the rest of our lives.
I can't wait to cook with it — although it's just so darn pretty, I hate to use it.

ubc botanical garden

2011-11-01T06:58:00.000-07:00

Taking in some autumn colours at UBC Botanical Garden this past Saturday.

so i went to a football game...

2011-10-31T06:46:00.000-07:00

I suppose I would call this an unusual way for Joseph and I to spend a Saturday night — but we wanted to do something a little different. Joseph used to play baseball (yes baseball) with one of the new starting players on the Eskimos when they were kids, so we thought it would be fun to go and cheer on the visiting team at BC Place. It was worth the scalped tickets for sure, we had a lot of fun, plus we finished the night off with some wine and tiramisu, so you can't go wrong there. Oh, and it marks the sixth year in a row that we have gone on a Halloween (although non-Halloweeny) date.... a.k.a. our anniversary.

fiery ginger chip cookies

2011-10-21T06:54:00.000-07:00

So these cookies from 101 cookbooks are amazing. I won't say I like them more than my mother's molasses cookies, because I don't. I am however encouraged to add as much ginger as I damn well please to a ginger cookie from now on as I know they will only taste more delicious.

These cookies have a lot of ginger — 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger and 4 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger. These cookies are fiery — they are also delicious, just sweet enough and full of whole wheat goodness.

I indulged in a little rainy-weather comfort and paired these cookie gems with a fresh cup of cinnamon spiced hot chocolate. My mouth was on fire with autumn flavours.

wild orchid

2011-10-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

This my friends is a wild orchid. Well okay, it's not wild in the traditional sense, it is in fact another hand-me-down from a flower shop, but it's wild right now because I have decided to let it grow unharnessed. All of my past orchids I have followed the traditional way of staking them as they go, leading their stem up in a nice straight line and into a gentle curve. Not this time! This orchid is wild and can't be controlled!!

Well truly though, I really like the way the orchid has figured out its own path and found a way to balance. The stem is extra strong too, it's really rather impressive what the orchids can do if left to fend for themselves. Plus look at its natural curve — isn't it pretty?

berry cornmeal crumble bars

2011-10-17T14:49:00.002-07:00

A few weeks ago Little Nest Cafe, one of my favourite neighborhood spots in Vancouver, had these delicious little blackberry cornmeal bars on special and they were like nothing I had ever tasted before. I wanted to try making them at home and I found a similar recipe on Martha Stewart, which turned out to be a major fail. But determined as I was, I tried again, fiddling with the ratios, adding different elements, but again they weren't exactly right. Finally, for my third batch I realized the real problem: the cooking vessel. Little Nest's bars held together well with a nice crunch on the bottoms and this simply could not be achieved if cooked in a parchment lined 8x8" dish as recommended by Martha.

So without any further explanation, these are delicious, I highly suggest you use up some frozen berries from your summer bounty and make these!

Berry Cornmeal Crumble Bars

1 1/4 cups coarse cornmeal (not the super fine variety. I found the coarse stuff at an Italian grocer)

1 1/4 cups flour (I used a 50/50 blend of whole wheat pastry flour and unbleached all-purpose)
1 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on top
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, melted
10 oz frozen berries (I used primarily blackberries and raspberries, with some blueberries. Rhubarb would also be great)
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts (optional!)

In a medium bowl stir together your cornmeal, flour, ground almonds, sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir to combine (If it seems like you need more butter, by all means add more. The original recipe called for a cup, but I got away with 3/4).

Press 2/3 of mixture onto a cookie sheet starting from one corner and working your way out. The dough should be pressed to a thickness of about a centimeter to a centimeter and a half, therefore unless you have a small cookie sheet, you will not be covering the whole sheet — but don't worry because it works out fine anyway! (If you are worried, you could make a little frame with aluminum foil)

Sprinkle your frozen berries over the whole surface of the pressed dough, creating a nice thin layer. Take your remaining dough and using you hands, crumble it over the top of the berries. Sprinkle with hazelnuts and a little bit of sugar. Throw her into the oven at 350°F for 35-45 minutes (it should be starting to brown a little on the edges). Cut into squares and enjoy! I like them all on their own with breakfast or my lunch, but they would also make a nice dessert with yogurt or ice cream!

a very happy canadian thanksgiving

2011-10-12T08:24:00.000-07:00

Have all you fellow Canadians recovered from course after heavenly course this past Thanksgiving weekend? Joseph got home on Sunday night from a month-long European tour, so I certainly had that to be thankful for. I made a feast for two on Monday night and last night we enjoyed some very decadent chicken sandwiches. Autumn produce may not be as exciting as the early days of summer, but boy is it ever delicious.

vancouver crow migration

2011-10-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

If you have never seen this in person, it is truly something to behold. Every evening at dusk, but more notably during certain periods of the year, all the crows in Vancouver migrate out to the southeast. To call them a murder of crows would be an understatement as it is quite literally every crow that can be found in the city: it is the crows. It takes maybe 15 minutes for them to all pass overhead, sometimes swooping to the level of my sixth story apartment, cawing dramatically as they pass. I've never known why they go (or exactly where they go) nor when and how do they get back, but by the first light the next morning they are already covering the sidewalks, cleaning up the garbage left behind the night before.

The crows have been giving us a really great show the last few nights; I'd forgotten how I missed seeing them all summer long.

spicy and sweet toasted pumpkin seeds

2011-10-06T07:28:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that as much as I enjoyed the pumpkin soup I made the other day, the part I was most excited for was the crunchy gems hidden within the pumpkin. Toasted pumpkin seeds are such a delicious, addictive treat. You have to go through the work of buying and slicing (or carving!) a pumpkin in order to enjoy this seasonal snack and the extra effort makes them so special.

I used the sweet & spicy recipe on 101 cookbooks by Heidi Swanson, a woman who has come to pretty much control my diet.

hudson elliott tumblr

2011-10-04T22:24:00.000-07:00

You may of noticed around these parts that I mostly only share original content (i.e. photos and words entirely created by me, Mary) on this blog. I love having a place to share my photos of food and plants and all things in my life, but I also come across so many amazing images and inspiration from other people that I have decided to start a Tumblr as a venue to share these things and also other random tidbits from my life. I'm calling it a companion to the Hudson Elliott blog. Please check out my new tumblr Hudson Elliott and let me know what you think! (And if you happen to be a tumblr-er yourself, let me know, I'd love to see what creative things you are all up to!)

stormy blue dinnerware

2011-10-04T07:22:00.000-07:00

I have weaknesses. I can't resist a 70% off sale, even if it's something I don't really need...

autumn pumpkin soup

2011-10-03T06:51:00.000-07:00

Okay, it's official, I'm involved in a full-on cuddly, squishy embrace with autumn.I made my first pumpkin soup of the season and it was delicious. Pumpkin, roasted yam, red pepper and carrot, sage, orange juice, spice, etc., etc.

This soup was the main event of my weekend — oh and going to watch the Lion King in the theatre with my cousin, which was fun. It was my first 3D theatre experience if you can imagine. Wearing 3D glasses over regular glasses is extremely irritating. Good, clean fun kind of weekend.

the spicy chai blues

2011-09-30T06:48:00.000-07:00

I have been experiencing a chai obsession the last week or so. Grey cool weather naturally makes me crave creamy, aromatic drinks. Earl grey has been a long time favorite, and London Fogs have always served me well too, but I think that this year will be the autumn of chai.

I've been brewing large batches at home so I can have a cup to take to work and a cup when I get home. Do you ever make chai at home? What mixture of spices is your favourite?

Here's what usually works for me (although sometimes I add extra spice):

Masala Chai

Fill a small pot with three cups water and bring to a simmer. Add to your pot 4 heaping teaspoons black tea leaves (I use a basic Darjeeling) and add the following, according to your tastes:

- a 3 inch long cinnamon stick
- 5 cardamom pods
- a 1.5-2 inch piece of ginger, roughly chopped
- 4 peppercorns
- 6 cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated (or 1/2 tsp ground) nutmeg
(I am usually too lazy, but you could grind these all together before adding to your pot)

- sugar, to taste (approximately a couple teaspoons)

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and slowly stir in two cups milk and allow this to simmer for a few minutes. (Or as long as you want! -but your volume will decrease)

Pour through a strainer and into your mugs. Serves 2-4.

If you want to be extra fancy, traditionally chai would be poured from one mug to another, back and forth in a steady, tall stream until the tea is frothy. mmm... froth.

weck canning jars

2011-09-29T06:56:00.000-07:00

I made the mistake of stopping at kitchen supply store the Gourmet Warehouse the other day and I ended up coming home with these two boxes. How could I pass up Weck jars at a reasonable price?

Now what should I use them for first?!

my first real photos in a long, long time

2011-09-28T07:20:00.000-07:00

I picked up what you could call my first real photos in a long, long time the other day. These are in fact the first film prints I have had developed since high school. This is my trial run roll from my holga camera which Joseph gave to me last year. The expense of getting these developed really does force me to pick and choose my shots very carefully, but after seeing how much fun the finished product is I want to bring this baby with me everywhere.

I'm still figuring out how to use the holga properly, deciding where I want to block out the light and where I want to leave it and other minor exposure details, but the best thing about this camera is I don't have to know what I'm doing! The more imperfections, the better.

And yes, I would have to agree that taking photos of photos is a silly thing to do, but so what?

chai clouds

2011-09-26T06:57:00.000-07:00

When Joseph and I first moved to Vancouver I used to explore the town on my days off of work. One or two days a week I would take the bus out or walk to a place of the city I had never been to before. There is still so many corners of Vancouver I haven't seen, but I don't investigate as much anymore. Days off are spent running errands, cleaning up, or best case scenario visiting familiar spots and soaking up some sun. The latter is how I spent my day off on Friday. I ventured down to Granville Island to pick up some photo prints and browse through the shops. The sun poked out from the layers of cloud and I was left steaming on a damp bench with my chai in hand looking out at the boats.

There should be more days like that.

(By the way, Granville Island Tea Co. makes a very delicious cup of chai.)

happy friday tidbits

2011-09-23T11:31:00.000-07:00

Has autumn officially started where you are? It seems Vancouver is being forced to face the facts this week: fall is here. We've had high winds and buckets and buckets of rain the last few days. I've been keeping busy this week making soups, staying in with the cats, and investing in some new 'winter' boots.

I was so taken with these heirloom tomatoes that I bought all the green ones my grocer had and set out to make a green minestrone with pesto. At the Italian importer, Bosa Foods, I was so completely overwhelmed with pasta options for my soup that I had to take home three varieties.

These are my new everyday winter boots which are so comfy and feel like they will last me for years (fingers crossed!)

How has your week been? Any great soup or stew plans I should keep on the radar?

friendship bracelets, for adults

2011-09-22T07:12:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I've been keeping busy. During summer so many blogs were talking about revisiting friendship bracelets and I couldn't resist making a few myself. My sister and I made some while watching movies during her visit a couple months ago, but I wanted more! The last couple weeks have seen me tie-dyeing and buying embroidery thread — what's happening to me?!

psst – there are some good tutorials here.

little baby currant tomatoes

2011-09-21T10:25:00.001-07:00

Are these not the cutest tomatoes you have ever seen? My co-worker's wife stopped by the shop yesterday to show them off and after tasting them I had to go spend my own 93¢ on a handful. They are perfect little plump and juicy tomatoes, they just happen to be the size of pennies.

I'm trying to think of a really good way to incorporate them into my dinner tonight. Perhaps a soup garnish? Any ideas?

drying summer herbs (sage and thyme)

2011-09-19T06:54:00.000-07:00

When putting so much time and effort into a summer garden, whether it be several acres of land, or just a few pots on the balcony, like mine, it is so bittersweet when harvest time comes. As a gardener, body and soul, I know that autumn is an important part of the natural cycle of most temperate and northern climate plants. I know that in order to be our best we must all stop and rest from time to time and plants are no different. Even our houseplants go into a quiet slumber at certain times of the year.

My garden is aphid-eaten, wind-ravaged, sun-starved, and just plain tired of having to work so damn hard. I don't blame her. Every year I try to work a little harder for her by planting earlier, strategically positioning pots, releasing lady bugs, watering diligently as I eat my breakfast just to give her that extra boost to dig her roots and extend her leaves. By the time September hits we are rushing to hang onto the tiny bounty of all our hard work.

Herbs can be such a delicate beast to harness some years. I was quite lucky this year, even through aphids and cool temperatures the majority of my herbs have come out of summer most gloriously. With the rain and short days quickly approaching I wanted to gather all the bounty I could to be used throughout the winter months. My basil I made into several batches of pesto alla Genovese, my mint I pureed with a bit of water and filled ice cube trays for winter teas and cocktails.

The beautiful sage and thyme plants you see here were on sale for 50¢ a pot at a local plant shop (another benefit of the season) so I grabbed several while out for a walk one day with the sole intention of immediately preserving them before winter could take its toll. Sage and thyme both dry very well by hanging: simply shake off the dirt (or wash and allow to completely air dry) then group into small bundles of 3 or 4 branches and tie with string. Hang these bundles upside down in a warm, dry spot out of direct sunlight.Once the herbs have completely dried (as quickly as a few days, depending on the location) transfer the leaves, crushing if desired, into air tight jars for storage. Always keep your dried herbs and spices out of direct sunlight and away from moisture.

My herb book (Harrowsmith Illustrated Book of Herbs) describes sage as springing back to life after a deep freeze and using this logic one could also place sage leaves in a plastic bag directly into the freezer to then be used as needed in soups and stews. This book has not yet led me astray, so I figured I would give it a try — I'll let you know how it goes.

smoothie, final day: pineapple and avocado

2011-09-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

A smoothie to make Joseph happy: pineapple.

And all in a day's work: creating and photographing a miniature cardboard city for the day job. (And then watching the cats investigate and ultimately destroy it.)

smoothie day 5: strawberry & blueberry

2011-09-16T07:27:00.000-07:00

These echinacea flowers have faded quite a bit since I took these photos. The first wave of rain has hit Vancouver and although I think many of us have breathed a sigh of relief, there is also the unavoidable truth that we now have many days and many months of rain ahead of us. C'est la vie.

smoothie day 4: peach and raspberry

2011-09-15T06:46:00.000-07:00

Summer in a glass.

We stumbled upon a park at the top of the mountain in West Vancouver. There were a couple tennis courts here too, you would basically be playing with a view of the entire Lower Mainland and the ocean. I felt pretty invincible and teensy all at the same time.

smoothie day 3: spinach and avocado!

2011-09-14T07:04:00.000-07:00

Green smoothie time! This one had the flavours of bananas, avocado, and frozen spinach. Just clean and refreshing tasting, not sweet.

smoothie day 2: blackberry

2011-09-13T06:52:00.000-07:00

The most stunning:

A week in smoothies, day one {apricot and blueberry}

2011-09-12T06:49:00.000-07:00

I have a fruit smoothie for breakfast almost every morning, which is such a delight in the summer with so many fresh local options for changing the flavours. Today's smoothie highlights fresh local apricots, blueberries and also banana. I'll post a new smoothie every day this week!

Sorry for these particular photos — I was in a bit of a rush to take them and didn't quite pay attention to my camera's settings. Below is a special poached egg, gruyere, bacon, heirloom tomato, and basil breakfast I made for Joseph and I on Sunday.

lunch: fully loaded salad

2011-09-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella, baby spinach, heirloom tomatoes, red pepper, cucumber, croutons, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and s&p.

vancouver beach times

2011-09-07T06:57:00.000-07:00

Over by the museum. Pretty sweet day — one visiting cousin, one visiting best friend and one local cousin who likes to climb into holes.

chocolate, zucchini, and olive oil cake

2011-09-06T07:07:00.000-07:00

I really don't know what to say about this cake that Tara didn't cover in her irresistible write-up over on her blog. This cake is truly something noteworthy and for so many reasons; it's no wonder why all the food blogs were obsessing about it for days after her posting. The cake is moist and rich, without being overly sweet. It is hardy enough for breakfast from the zucchini and whole wheat flour and special enough for dinner parties thanks to the olive oil and chocolate. Tara calls it a bread - I prefer to call it a healthy cake.

The recipe makes two loaves, but I made one loaf and one 8" round, which I brought to a Sunday roast dinner party this week and was a huge hit. Dusted with powdered sugar and cut into wedges, this cake felt like the perfect compliment to any summer meal. The loaf we ate at home for breakfast and second breakfasts. As you can expect from me I reduced the chocolate called for in the recipe just ever so slightly from 8oz to 6oz and also used mostly whole wheat pastry flour and spelt flour, with a small addition of unbleached all-purpose flour.

We are knee-deep into zucchini season so please, go forth and make this cake! You will not regret it. Head over to Seven Spoons for the full recipe.

pear gin and tonic

2011-09-01T07:04:00.000-07:00

This post goes out to my sister and her love of pears, which by the way are just starting to pop up at my local grocery store. Before heading out to the fair the other night (because who goes to the fair without a pre-fair cocktail?) I made us a couple gin and tonics with a slice of cucumber and a few wedges of fresh pear. Very refreshing! The tonic water by Fentimans (which I think is rather new to the Vancouver market) is very tasty and full of bitter flavour, plus look at those adorable little bottles! The florist in me can't part with the empties until I have used them for some silly craft or flower arrangement. (Suggestions always welcome!)

a night at the pne fair

2011-08-31T09:55:00.000-07:00

With a little help from our house guest who is working at a coffee stand within the PNE exhibition, we decided to go and check out all the buzz last night. We ate hot dogs, elephant ears (aka 'whale tails', 'beaver tails', or a flat piece of fried dough with cinnamon and sugar on top) and just walked around and enjoyed the sights.

There was a barn full of some interesting breeds of farm animals and also lots and lots of babies. The Clydesdale horses (above) were really fascinating. The large one, second from the right, was eating the hay of both of his neighbours as well as his own — big bully.

The calf, below was apparently born only an hour before. (Just want to point out that even though the cow is looking at me, I am zoomed in quite a bit here, I am not right in the face of the poor tired lady.)

Joseph made friends with this tall mistress.

All of these people are in line for mini donuts.

And then we were done. Maybe we'll go back someday and actually go on the rides... maybe.

stanley park's many hidden treasures

2011-08-30T07:13:00.000-07:00

I don't think I had ever seen this water lily pond before in the heart of Stanley Park. It was a very peaceful moment of discovery.

And then back out to the wide open world.

chocolate and blackberry pavlova (for breakfast!)

2011-08-29T07:03:00.000-07:00

Hello! I hope you are all enjoying the last days of August. I had my brother for a brief visit last week and spent the whole time walking, walking walking. It's so nice having new visitors to the city because I can re-visit all the parts of town that I don't make it out to very often.

After visiting the farmer's market on Wednesday evening, I stocked up on one of my favorites: plump, local blackberries. I've been dreaming of making a dark and delicious blackberry double chocolate pavlova after seeing this raspberry version on What Katie Ate. Click here for her recipe, which turned out perfectly.

This dessert is quite literally like biting into heaven and I'm not at all ashamed to admit that I dug into it for breakfast. (Better for breakfast than right before bedtime, right?) Pavlova is pretty much my new favorite dessert; I plan on making it at every possible occasion in every possible variation. Have you ever made it? What's your favorite pavlova pairing?

the vancouver summer nights are not over yet!

2011-08-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

Day of the 12 km walk around town, with a brief stop at Second Beach.

Fresh pesto after the Main Street farmer's market.

The Merchant of Venice at Bard on the Beach, a gift from my bosses. The backdrop is the city of Vancouver, at sunset.

Speaking of sunsets, this was a nice one.

purple scabiosa: a very special gift indeed

2011-08-19T07:07:00.000-07:00

I was so happy to receive a special gift from a dear florist friend last week when I had her over for a couple gin cocktails (gin, sparkling water, ginger simple syrup, cucumber, lime, ice). The sweet lady friend works at a beautiful flower shop in Vancouver's downtown and brought me a stunning bouquet of one of my favourite flowers (and one of her least favourite, coincidentally): scabiosa. (Thanks C!)

Scabiosa was the main flower I used when I did my sister's wedding flowers a few years ago — the sweet peas just weren't ready in time, but scabiosa made a noble replacement.

It's true the blooms don't last very long, but when they are nice, they are really nice. Plus the flower pods (below) aren't too bad either.

string bean and tuna pasta salad

2011-08-17T06:54:00.001-07:00

String bean is a horrid name, don't you think? But I do love them, as I love almost every summer vegetable, and almost everything to do with summer for that matter.

I'm pretty sure we've had pasta every night for the last two weeks, but this one here was one of my favourites. Lemony, cool, and refreshing, I will definitely be making this again.

String Bean and Tuna Pasta Salad

300g. whole grain pasta
washed and sliced string beans, about 1 1/2 cups
1/2 cup fresh English peas

1 can responsibly caught albacore tuna, drained and separated into large chunks with a fork
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

For dressing:
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon dijon style mustard
1 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons olive oil (add more if needed)
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Salt and pepper

Bring 2 1/2 litres of salted water to boil
Add your pasta and stir. On top of your pot of boiling pasta, place a bamboo steamer with the sliced string beans. After a couple of minutes, add your English peas to the steamer.
When the beans are tender to your liking, remove the bamboo steamer and pour the beans and peas into cold, icy water to blanch.

In a small bowl whisk together lemon juice, zest, mustard, honey, olive oil, parmesan, salt and pepper to make the dressing.

Once your pasta is al dente, remove from heat and drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.

In a large bowl mix pasta and dressing and stir until well coated. Add the reserved pasta water if needed. Add your tuna and chives and gently stir.

Serve warm or cold, topped with more grated parmesan and lemon zest. (And like most pasta, best served alongside salad)

summer nights and flower picnics

2011-08-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

Joseph and I went for a nice evening picnic the other day to watch the sunset and enjoy one of the few plants thriving on my balcony: nasturtiums! Check out my full post over on Mainland.

Joseph likes just eating the flowers straight. Like a man.

on the x-files and vancouver's bloedel conservatory

2011-08-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

Hello! The following paragraphs have nothing to do with these photos.

When my sister came to visit a couple weeks ago she turned me onto the idea of re-watching the X-files from the beginning. I used to be so scared watching this show (oh god, this post is going to reveal my age) and I would only watch it during sleep-overs at my best friend's house in elementary school. I don't think my mom would have let me watch it at home and I would have been too frightened on my own anyway.

I like watching it now, (it turns out that it isn't very scary) knowing that it was filmed in Vancouver, I can try to guess their specific location in every episode. I wish it was 15 years ago so I could run around town stalking a young David Duchovny.

whole wheat and oat flour pancakes

2011-08-12T07:45:00.000-07:00

So, have you picked up the Super Natural Everyday cookbook yet? It is all anyone (on the food blogs) is talking about these days, and with good reason. I purchased the book several weeks ago and finally got around to making a recipe out of it: pancakes!

In the recipe I used a mix of whole wheat pastry flour and freshly ground oats, so the cakes were nice and filling until lunch time. The batter lasts in the fridge for a few days, so the first day we opted for fresh blueberry and ate banana, hazelnut and cinnamon cakes the next two mornings.

It's so nice taking the time to make a real breakfast (served alongside fresh fruit smoothies, of course).

blueberry

banana, hazelnut & cinnamon

planning my path with a new vintage globe

2011-08-11T07:21:00.001-07:00

What have I been doing in my spare time lately? Mostly just trying to figure out my next step: the next few years of my life. I have ideas, lots of them, I just need to figure them all out. Decisions arriving shortly! (I hope)

Yesterday, while out on a walk, scouting upcoming posts for Mainland, I couldn't resist picking up this pre-WWII globe from a vintage (junk) shop on Main street. I've always wanted a globe and here this one was, calling my name and just the right price. My sister reminded me on Skype last night the old 'spin the globe, put your finger down and that's where you would live' game with our grandparents globe at their old farm house. Amazing how that would keep us going for a good 15 minutes.

If location was an issue I'd give it a whirl right now! Alas I guess grown-up decisions require more than a spin and a whim.

nasturtium and quinoa salad

2011-08-10T07:26:00.004-07:00

My nasturtiums on my balcony are finally flowering! Joseph and I ate the first few blooms atop our spinach and quinoa salad the other day. (The salad also contained cucumber, red pepper, blueberries, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, radishes and parmesan, with lemon mustard dressing and topped with lots of chives.)

the sights of vancouver, one house guest at a time

2011-08-08T07:05:00.001-07:00

I've been operating a B&B in my spare time this summer (ha!) and had my step-sister and her boyfriend for a quick visit last week. They kept themselves busy for two days while I was at work and on Friday I toured around the city with them in the afternoon. We started at the Main Street train station and wandered down by Olympic Village. I quite like that no one lives there yet because it means these steps down to the water are always rather deserted.

I like this spot because it reminds me of a nice sitting spot in Genova where I watched the sun go down a couple days in a row. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned that before... Have you been to Genova? They have a very beautiful port.

After that we walked up Main Street to Chinatown and took in the tranquility of Dr. Sun Yat Sen classical Chinese garden. For lunch and a beer we stopped into Gastown and its contrasting hustle and bustle.

Feeling re-energized, we took the train to Queen Elizabeth Park where we were able to visit the Bloedel Conservatory before they closed for the evening and stuck our feet in the fountain (well I didn't) for the last rays of sunlight.

the beauty of blooming orchids

2011-08-03T07:16:00.002-07:00

Three out of four of my phalaenopsis orchids are in bloom right now. It's really quite stunning to see them every morning. Each of them has sprouted a branch off of their main stem which has also bloomed. I'm always complaining about the lack of sun my apartment gets, but these little fellas couldn't be happier.

basil ice cream: a new obsession

2011-07-30T08:07:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I like to meet Joseph on his bike ride home from work, but it's really just so I can stop at La Casa Gelato for ice cream. Okay that's not entirely true because I look forward to the walk together, sometimes one of our only chances to catch up on each others day.
I won't say this place makes the best ice cream (there are some much creamier options around) but the fun lies in choosing your flavour. With over 218 options, this can take a while. I went with basil which was so delicious — minty and refreshing, with a subtle licorice flavour — I wish I had an ice cream maker so I could try it at home. Joseph went with licorice (which must have had squid ink in it or something, it was so black) and also pistachio. Maybe I'll get wasabi next time?..... yeah right.

I hope you all have a great weekend. It's the first night of the celebration of light here in Vancouver, so maybe I'll see you there?

quiet meetings at prado cafe

2011-07-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

I got together with Janeé yesterday to try and tweak a few things on our new blog, Mainland. It's an ongoing process getting the design the way we want it and navigating a computer world that we are by no means experts in. Still, we are really enjoying creating each post and if you haven't yet had the chance to check it out, please do.

We sat for a calming, sunny cappuccino at Prado Café before running around Chinatown to take a few photos for upcoming posts. (Then headed back to Commercial Drive for a patio cocktail of course!)

totems: museum of anthropology

2011-07-26T07:08:00.000-07:00

The Museum of Anthropology is stunning. I went there for the second time on the weekend, this time showing it off to my visiting mother and stepfather. I love taking in the calm of the reflection pool out back, which you can see through the windows of these photos. I've talked about this museum before, but it truly is one of my favorite spots to visit in Vancouver.
(sorry for the fingerprint in the middle of every shot — doh!)

Go if you ever get the chance, the great hall alone is worth seeing in person.

upside down rhubarb crumb cake

2011-07-22T07:03:00.000-07:00

I had my sister over for a short visit these last few days. She has been here for many visits before and this time we had awful (for July) weather the entire time she was here, so we mostly stuck close to the apartment. It was actually a lot of fun just having time off to do nothing but watch movies, make friendship bracelets and cook. On Wednesday after having some family over for lunch, we made this cake and watched movies on my laptop.

My mother is also in town and had brought some rhubarb with her from Edmonton which we used in this makeshift cake. Both my sister and I were throwing ingredients in as we mixed, using every last bit of flour in my house, but somehow it all came together.

I think I basically followed the cake recipe (just the 'cake' part) from a Smitten Kitchen recipe. For the rhubarb we threw it into a pan where we had started to caramelize some sugar. If we were to do it again, we would only have cooked the rhubarb for a minute, before it started to lose its shape so much. Into the cake pan went the rhubarb first, then the cake batter, then some crumbs we had made with flour, sugar, melted butter and fresh grated ginger. Delicious served with vanilla cream and blueberries!

welcome to mainland!

2011-07-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

It's here, it's finally here! My new plant-related project that I have been working on with a friend finally 'launches' today. Please be patient with the few minor details left to work out, we just couldn't wait any longer!

A little about Mainland:

"Mainland is a place to examine, study, and learn from the plant world. We hope to inspire you with thoughts of urban gardening, back-alley flower arranging, botanical painting, and horticultural history.
As trained florists, we question the very industry that turned us onto all things botanical. We believe in sustainability, respect for nature, and simple, organic beauty, without all the bows and frills. Two prairie gals who relocated to lush Vancouver, we are in awe everyday when we stumble upon a new plant to identify."

Mainland is a project where we intend to learn as we go and we really hope you enjoy reading it.

Mainland

(oh and there's a twitter too.)

announcing a new project!

2011-07-15T06:46:00.000-07:00

I have some very exciting news to announce on Monday! For the past few weeks a friend and I have been working on the creation of a new blog documenting our shared interests in all things related to plants. We'll be delving deep into the history of individual species, making bouquets from weeds and back-alley blooms, and utilizing seasonal herbs in cocktails and other recipes. This project is a way for us to learn more about a world that captivates us and we hope you'll enjoy checking it out.

Check back on Monday for the official 'launch'!

summer sun

2011-07-12T07:38:00.000-07:00

What have I been up to? Sunsets mostly, a bit of ice cream, releasing ladybugs onto my aphid infested balcony, some strawberry eating, and not wearing pants (just skirts and shorts).

What have you been up to?

english peas! -more simple summer pasta

2011-07-07T06:54:00.000-07:00

What a perfect sight.

Strawberries on the side? Sure, why not?

two orchids blooming side by side

2011-07-04T07:08:00.001-07:00

This is a pretty green orchid I bought for myself last year from the shop I worked at. She's decided it is time to bloom again and is just as pretty as I remembered. The white orchid in the background has been in bloom since the beginning of April (after having over two years of rest) and both orchids have other stems with buds getting ready to open as well. Plus a third orchid with sunset coloured blooms is only a week or two away from blooming again.

I take good care of my orchids in the sense that I never let them get too wet or two dry (or cold, or drafty) but I really don't have to give them any extra thought. I just sit back and admire their beauty. Patience is key.

fireworks, july first, vancouver

2011-07-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

Canada Day Fireworks Vancouver from Mary Hudson on Vimeo.

I especially like the man behind me sneezing.

canada day fireworks from crab park

2011-07-02T00:51:00.000-07:00

A perfect view, not too crowded, followed by a nice walk home. Look at the reflections! Could it be any better? The glass skyscrapers behind us were reflecting beautifully as well. Gotta love it, every single time, I always enjoy fireworks. There was a pretty hilarious and rowdy crowd a little way away from us, I'll put up a video for you soon.

I'm off to the farmer's market bright and early tomorrow, I hope you all have a fantastic summer weekend!

rainy day kitty

2011-06-29T08:13:00.000-07:00

Good morning to a grey and rainy day! I'm pretty ready for a nap now. If he can do it, why can't I?

tomato, basil crostini and strawberry salad

2011-06-27T07:11:00.000-07:00

It has begun. Summer is barely here, but the temptations at the farmer's market are just too much for me, all I want to eat is salad, salad, salad (oh and maybe a little bread and cheese).

Crostini with delicious, teeny cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, tossed with olive oil, balsamic vinaigrette, and pine nuts, served with a shaving of parmesean.

British Columbia strawberries have arrived! I've been eating these slowly all week, one serving with the morning yogurt and one with the evening salad. I'll be buying more at the next farmers market — lots more. (Did I mention that the baguette, tomatoes, radishes, and arugula are all from the farmers market too?)

summer solstice in vancouver

2011-06-24T10:56:00.000-07:00

You know nights like these? They are so fantastic, I wish they happened year round, but it just isn't possible (not even in Vancouver). This is a summer night and it is just the beginning. After work Joseph and I grabbed a quick piece of pizza then headed downtown to meet friends at the Vancouver Art Gallery for the Surrealist exhibit. Tuesday nights the gallery is open late and it is pay by donation: perfect. Totally overwhelming and so much fun to meet up with lots of people, it almost felt like being in school again (but in a good way).

After our fill on Dali and Man Ray, we walked to Gastown to check out the music festival that was happening on the streets there. We kept wandering past and made our way to the Alibi Room for some beers and post sensory overload discussion.

Calling it an early night, we all parted ways and Joseph and I stopped for an ice cream bar at a gas station parking lot, taking in the last turquoise light above the mountains on the longest day of the year. It was a simple pleasure moment, reminding us of days when sitting in a parking lot after sundown was pretty much as good as it gets. I can't wait for more summer nights — if only it would stop raining!

how to not paint flowers

2011-06-23T08:56:00.000-07:00

I get up for one second...

farmers market radishes with tomato and arugula pasta

2011-06-20T07:09:00.000-07:00

Hello! Is it just me or do the days seem to pass by so much quicker in the summer, despite being longer? There is never enough time to get everything done, but that being said, there is always time to make delicious food. Last week we picked up some radishes (grown on a farm right in the city of Vancouver), arugula and some (pre-season) tomatoes at the Main street farmers market.

(my fancy new knife was a gift from Joseph's trip to Europe)

I made us whole grain pasta with a light parmesean sauce on a bed of arugula, topped with roasted tomatoes and pine nuts. (Very similar idea to the potato dinner from the other day).

The radishes were so tasty in a salad with avocado, strawberry, and cashews. Once summer hits it will be all salad, all the time (who has time or desire for anything else when it's hot 24/7?) so I better stock up on my pasta carbs while I can! (right?)

calm the fire

2011-06-15T20:52:00.001-07:00

Fires blazing in downtown Vancouver after losing the Stanley Cup hockey game. Setting raging fires (out of sports related rage) is not a good thing to do.

Two more photos before the sun went down:

The fires only increased for another hour after this. I have lots of words, but I'll keep them to myself for now.

botanical colour palettes

2011-06-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

I've been working the last week or two (hey I'm a busy gal!) on a new botanical illustration and I finally got to map out the colour palette last night! The painting is part of a much bigger project that I can't wait to share with you!!

poppies poppies poppies

2011-06-14T07:04:00.002-07:00

Good morning! I hope this fine spring week is treating you well. The poppies and bearded iris flowers are all in full bloom here and I gasp every time I walk by one. They are all as big as my outstretched hand; I could stare at their details for hours. It makes me so upset when I can see that people have clearly ripped the blooms from people's yards. Please don't steal flowers, it isn't nice — take a photo instead.

a welcome home lunch: arugula soup & mint salad

2011-06-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

Joseph arrived home from Europe around lunch time the other day and since food is always on my mind, I figured I better be ready for a hungry belly.

I used up more of my arugula and made an arugula, potato, and leek soup; a cucumber, strawberry, almond and mint salad, with a drizzle of honey; and some tomato and brie toasts.

I think I must have finished eating three times faster than him (for once) because he was too busy filling me in on all his traveling stories. Technically it's not strawberry season here quite yet, but these strawberries were so good regardless of being from California. I can't wait for our strawberry season to arrive!

sunny lily of the valley

2011-06-09T07:12:00.003-07:00

Good morning! These are the last of 10532 photos that I took of my foraged lily of the valley from the other week. A nice sparkly start to the morning, don't you think?

Joseph is back in town after a five week tour in Europe (I mean who goes to Europe for five weeks without bringing their significant other?! {kidding}) and we are going to spend our morning admiring blooming poppies in the neighbourhood and drinking cappuccinos. Hope you have a nice Thursday!

the beginning of beach season

2011-06-07T06:57:00.003-07:00

Spent a couple hours sitting on a log drinking some brew with a gal pal the other day. We were 'working', honest. I nearly fell into the ocean trying to get back after the tide came in, but that's all part of the west coast life, right?

smashed potato arugula salad with italian sausage

2011-06-06T07:19:00.001-07:00

Joseph's aunt was thinning out her baby arugula leaves a couple days ago and I volunteered to take the little shoots off her hands. Next thing I know I'm traveling home with a canvas bag full of arugula and mint. (Better than going to the farmer's market!)

So what does one person do with this much arugula? Well to start I made herb and garlic smashed potatoes and edamame with a lemon, mustard dressing and Italian sausage on a great big bed of the peppery greens. Delicious. Perhaps I'll make some soup next?

a bushel of fresh mint

2011-06-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

Help! I was gifted this large lovely bunch of fresh mint (which I love love love) and I need to use every last bit of it up. Suggestions? Got any favorite dishes or drinks that use lots of fresh mint?

an afternoon snack: honey & brie

2011-06-03T06:58:00.001-07:00

What's better than cheese, bread, and honey? Nothing.

Maybe the colour of these pansies... maybe.

Nope, this is better.

1957 mint green corvette

2011-05-31T07:11:00.000-07:00

I just got a mint green 1957 corvette in perfect condition!!

Made you look.

sandwich break: chicken and brie

2011-05-30T07:43:00.000-07:00

It's Monday. I'm sorry if you are reading this at work, while eating your cold, dry, bagged lunch. Next time might I suggest preparing this ahead? Toast you bread at home and make sure to pack the veggies separate, then assemble for lunch. Bonus if you can heat it up a little.

{Multigrain sourdough, roast chicken, brie, cilantro, fig chutney, cucumber, tomato, baby greens}

If you aren't in love with sandwiches, perhaps you simply aren't doing it right? Just saying.

lily of the valley botanical diagram

2011-05-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

A documentation of spring's fleeting mistress. She's the one that hides under the tree bows and in the shadows of our buildings. She creeps along and hugs the leaves of all the other ground-dwellers.

I guess you might think she's shy — but don't be fooled

She works hard to smell like heaven. It takes a lot out of her too; she can only keep it going for so long... and then poof. Back to the shadows, back to the corners, back to sleep for another year.

So best to document her before she disappears. What if she never came back?

Certainties... best not to question them.

lily of the valley and a poached egg dinner (and asparagus)

2011-05-27T07:02:00.005-07:00

These here are a sneak peak of some lily of the valley I plucked from a secret spot yesterday, I plan on sharing 726 more photos of them with you soon.

This was take number two for my poached egg and asparagus dinner. I made the same thing two nights ago and the eggs turned out fine, the problem was I tried to go a little too fancy making a tahini dressing for the asparagus and it didn't work out at all. This time around I stuck to some toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, and cashews (and garlic and ginger) and it was delicious.

Oh hi, have we met? I like my eggs runny.

ricotta filled banana walnut muffins

2011-05-26T09:14:00.000-07:00

Good morning! I cannot tell you why on earth I am doing so much baking when I don't have someone here to eat the lion's share for me. It's dangerous business... I think most of these will have to go into the freezer for a couple weeks.

These muffins were inspired by some you can find at Little Nest Cafe, as well as other bakeries around town. I had a lot of ricotta sitting in my fridge that I needed to use up, so I figured I would give the filled muffins a try and it worked out great!

Ricotta filled Banana, Walnut Muffins

Ingredients

5 over-ripe bananas
1/2 cup melted butter or canola oil (I used half oil, half butter because that was exactly all I had left in my house)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 & 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose, unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, plus more for topping
6 ounces chocolate, coarsely chopped
3-6 tablespoons ricotta cheese

In a small bowl mix the rolled oats and yogurt together. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease or line 16 muffin tin cups. In a medium sized bowl mix together all your remaining dry ingredients. Mash your bananas, or beat in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment. Add your butter, eggs, and sugar and beat well. Beat in you vanilla. Add your yogurt and oats, and your dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. With a spoon fold in your chocolate and walnuts.

Fill your muffin tins half full with your batter. Spoon half a rounded teaspoon of ricotta (up to a full teaspoon, depending on your tastes, but be careful to not touch the edges of the tin with the ricotta) onto the middle of each muffin. Fill the muffin tins all the way full with your remaining batter and top with the rest of your chopped walnuts. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

The surprise ricotta in the middle would probably be really good with a spice stirred into it as well — if you try it, let me know how it turns out!

creamy eggplant pasta with asparagus

2011-05-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

The nice thing about cooking for one? Leftovers! Seriously every meal lasts me days for lunches and dinners. (Not to say I won't be happy to be cooking for two again very soon.)

Back to the point: asparagus is in season and is not to be wasted. For this meal I made a light cream sauce, flavoured with asiago cheese and I mixed it up with sauteed eggplant, shallots, garlic (lots), tomatoes, asparagus, peas, and basil. Top with ground pepper, more grated asiago, basil, and chopped walnuts. 20 minutes: done.

Enjoy your week! Until soon.

balcony gardening: first seedlings

2011-05-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

Today is going to be HOT! (At least for Vancouver spring standards). I have lots to get done before I get to play in the sun, so I better get to it (too much time spent cuddling with the cats in bed).

This year I approached my balcony garden much different than in the past couple years. I wanted to focus on herbs I use all the time, or that I could dry at the end of the season. I wanted to plant a few select flowers to give pops of dramatic colour, that are relatively easy to care for. For the flowers I chose begonias (there were so many beautiful begonias at the garden centre, I went a little begonia crazy) some pansies that were on sale, and nasturtiums and poppies that I planted from seed. I also have a couple four foot tall cypress trees, two hosta varieties, and one cascading coniferous bonsai that I will really be nurturing this year. For a bit of height, I have a ruby coloured clematis growing off of some make shift bamboo stakes.

It's been such a pleasure the last couple days to sit out in the setting sun when I get home from work and admire all the green sprouting up. Are you gardening this summer? I'd love to know what plants work for you, or maybe you are trying something for the first time this year?

things that make me happy today

2011-05-17T06:58:00.001-07:00

Just a few things that are keeping me calm and happy during the busy spring.

A new amazing book that I am really excited to work my way through (just started). It delves into the complicated history of plants and our relationship with them. I'm very excited.

A 7-inch to remind me of someone who is away.

Honey nougat chocolate — I don't even like milk chocolate, but this is delicious.

Sometimes you just need to savour the little things.

at least Vancouver is green

2011-05-16T07:05:00.001-07:00

Another busy week of working on projects and meeting with friends, I leave you with these images of green. I'm very saddened to hear of the fires destroying so much of Alberta and I hope all the communities and the nature that surrounds them are able to recover.

Here's to a good week.

contentment thou name is cat

2011-05-13T18:35:00.000-07:00

Ruby is my muse.

vancouver's pounding hail | fleeting sunshine

2011-05-13T09:54:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, it could always be worse. Still, I am rather done with rain — at least I'm done with rain every single day. We've had some bizarre weather here in Vancouver over the last week and yesterday was one of the strangest. One minute it was sunny, the next it was pouring rain and hail, the next it was sunny again, then pouring rain... you get the idea. The top two photos were taken exactly five minutes apart; on the left is hail, on the right is sunshine.

Today I think there is a little sun trying to poke out behind the hazy clouds, so I better get out and enjoy it while I can. Have a great Friday — hopefully the weather is nice wherever you are!

rhubarb, strawberry, and almond crisp

2011-05-08T10:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day Mom. If I could bring this crisp to you, I would.

My breakfasts the last couple weeks have been the same thing everyday: plain yogurt with a handful of almonds, freshly sliced, a few pepitas, and a banana cut up. It gets the job done. But last week I saw some rhubarb calling my name at the grocery co-op and figured it was time for a seasonal change.

Those people that act as though fruit crisps are a dessert and should not be consumed for breakfast are crazy — they make such a good breakfast. Serve with a little yogurt, a cup of tea, and you're good to go.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Crisp, with Almonds, Walnuts, Pepitas, and Flax

{I didn't exactly measure how much fruit I used - but it fills a regular 9" pie plate, adjust as necessary}
3-4 cups rhubarb, cleaned and chopped into 2cm pieces (see note above)
2 cups strawberries, quartered (I still had some frozen ones to use up, but by all means, use fresh)

1 green apple, cored and chopped into 2cm pieces
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar

For the topping:
3/4 cup freshly ground almonds (I use a little nut and spice grinder, which doubles as my coffee grinder, and I just quickly pulsed it so there were lots of lumps left)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup pepitas
1/4 cup flax seeds (grind these a little too)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375°F. Throw your fruit into your buttered baking dish of choice and toss with the cornstarch and sugar. In a separate bowl, mix together nuts, seeds, oats, sugar and butter. Using your hands, crumble onto the top of your fruit, creating little lumps as you go. Bake for 45 minutes or until lightly brown and juices are bubbling at the edges. Allow to sit a while before serving.

I made this last night and had a little just before bed, still warm from the oven, and it was so good just on its own. Bring some to your mom.

nature indoors: sunbathing

2011-05-06T11:29:00.002-07:00

There is nothing quite like just enjoying the quiet afternoon calm. Studying the art of the sunbathe doesn't sound like such a terrible way to spend a life, does it?

Has the spring bug hit you yet? I don't mean the get-out-in-the-sun bug, but rather the need-to-get-things-done bug. I have been bit and now I want to start a thousand projects at once, I want to clean my apartment to a microscopic finish, I want to try every recipe in every cookbook I own. The days are longer, but they are still never long enough. The next few weeks I have the opportunity to really buckle down and focus and I am so excited to be approaching new creative goals as well as getting a balance back to my day to day life. Hopefully I can reflect all of that to you here.

sunny spring — it's about time

2011-05-02T07:13:00.001-07:00

It's finally feeling a little sunnier around Vancouver — but a bit of extra warmth couldn't hurt either. It's a busy week, what with the Canadian election, Joseph getting ready for a big gig, and Mother's Day — I better get started (and go vote) so have a great (and hopefully sunny) Monday!

baked apples with cinnamon, hazelnuts and oats

2011-04-29T06:58:00.002-07:00

Along with the other night's strata dinner I made Joseph and I each a baked apple for dessert. I almost never make dessert — I mean I often bake sweet things, but it's usually in the afternoon and has nothing to do with my dinner plans. The nice thing about baked apples? They take absolutely no thought or effort, just put them in the oven while you enjoy your dinner and then get ready for warm cinnamon-y dessert when you're done. Core an apple, add some cinnamon and sugar, maybe chopped nuts (I used hazelnuts), maybe some quick oats. A little juice in the pan doesn't hurt, neither does a dollop of butter on top of the apples. Bake at 350°F for at 30-45 minutes, depending how soft you like it. Done. Ice cream time.

swiss chard, tomato, & asiago strata

2011-04-28T07:06:00.000-07:00

To say my day off yesterday was boring would be an understatement. I finally filed my taxes (from two years ago as well as last year) then braved the windy rain home, only briefly stopping in front of the home hardware store to see if they had any new bedding plants I absolutely needed — but they didn't, so I picked up eggs instead. I love strata on special occasions for brunch, but it only just dawned on me to make it for dinner. After a boring, windy, rainy, waste of a day, it was a really nice dinner to sit down to.

Swiss Chard Strata with Roasted Tomatoes, Spinach, Asiago, & Mustard

4-5 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped into 1" pieces — or 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes

1/2 bunch swiss chard
1 package, approximately 300g frozen spinach
1 medium shallot, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

1 day old whole wheat baguette or loaf of bread
8 large eggs
3 cups skim milk
1 cup grated cheese (I used a mix of gruyere and asiago)
1 tablespoon dijon style mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8-1/4 cayenne powder
1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Roast your tomatoes on a baking sheet with a splash of olive oil and a little salt at 350°F for about 30 minutes. Begin to saute your your shallots on low-medium heat until translucent. Wash your chard and remove stems (can be used in a different dish) slice the chard into thin strips, approximately 1cm. Add garlic to your shallot pan and stir. Add in chard and frozen spinach and cover for five minutes. Remove lid and cook until most of the moisture had evaporated.

Beat eggs with milk. In a separate container whisk mustard, spices, salt, and pepper with a splash of milk. Add the mustard mixture to the eggs and whisk together. Rub down a baking dish (about 8x10" is good) with a little olive oil. Slice your bread into 1-2cm cubes and scatter into the baking dish. Top this with the roasted tomatoes and chard and spinach mixture and half your cheese. Stir together a little and then coat everything evenly with your egg mixture. Top with the remaining cheese and chill for at least two hours, or overnight. Bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes, or until firm in the middle.

{Because I only starting making my strata at 3:30 in the afternoon, I soaked the bread with the egg mixture and allowed it to sit as I prepared the other elements}

easter carrot cupcakes with ginger simple syrup & cream cheese frosting

2011-04-25T07:04:00.000-07:00

So what did the Easter Bunny bring you? There was no chocolate or egg hunts in our house (does crawling around on my hands and knees looking for the kitty's bouncy ball count?) but we do have a basket full of delicious carrot cupcakes. I'm a big fan or carrot cake, I love the high moisture level and I like mine with lots of nutty crunch. The problem with most carrot cake, in my opinion, is way too much sugar in the cake batter and way too much sugar in the cream cheese frosting, which is always piled far too high.

The recipe I used this time around was a Martha website recipe, that I doubled (to make 24 cupcakes) and adjusted a little here and there (for example cutting the sugar in half and adding some whole wheat flour for good measure).

Carrot Cupcakes

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup apple sauce
4 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 large eggs

2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour

3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 24 baking tin cups, or line with paper liners. Beat together sugar, oil, apple sauce, orange juice, eggs, and vanilla. In a separate bowl whisk together baking soda, baking powder, spices, salt, and flours. Add this flour mixture to the egg mixture, and stir together. Add in carrots and walnuts, stir until combined. Divide among muffin cups and bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool.

I wanted these cupcakes to have a little something extra, so I decided to top them all with a ginger infused simple syrup. I wasn't worried about the extra sugar because I used a very tart cream cheese frosting on top. The only complaint was that my syrup wasn't as full of ginger flavour as I would have liked — next time: use more ginger.

I don't have a recipe for the cream cheese frosting, I just mixed room temperature cream cheese with a bit of soft butter and confectioners' sugar. To add a bit of springy, Easter flair, I topped all the cupcakes with gently ground coconut and pistachios.

These would be good after Easter too you know, I mean you don't even really need an excuse to make them — something to use up all these old flavourless carrots that still fill the shelves of the grocery store perhaps? (I am so excited for the summer farmer's markets to start in a week!)

happy easter! peach narcissus & sleeping kittens

2011-04-24T07:14:00.000-07:00

Have a great day with your friends and family, or enjoying mother nature, or decadent food, or whatever you're doing — enjoy! I'll have some cupcakes to share with you tomorrow.

ursa minor april love

2011-04-22T10:44:00.000-07:00

Just a friendly pre-Easter reminder that everything in the Ursa Minor etsy shop is still at a discount for all my lovely readers that use the special code "anemonefriends" at the etsy checkout. The deal expires at the end of the month, so hurry to get 15% off any purchase.

And in case you were wondering, in preparation for your upcoming egg hunts this weekend: the leather pouch easily holds one dozen eggs, I wouldn't be surprised, with proper technique, if you could nestle two dozen inside.