Operation Organization: Kitchen Edition

I have been slowly purging and reorganizing my kitchen cupboards, I have no idea why, but this seemed like a great summer project. It.was.not. although I am quite happy with the end result!

We have a small pantry, which I am hoping to build out to have deeper shelves and a full door, rather than the small folding doors we have currently. There is a foot and a half of unused space  (where the calendar is in the picture below) and this would increase our storage space exponentially. I would like it to look something like this...

In the mean time however, before this project began it looked like this.

                                                             Ya, I know. Totally gross.

To start this project, I looked at every single item in there and purged 1/3 of it (mostly expired & unused items). Next, I planned what I needed in jars versus cans or original packaging and then I went shopping! Our Dollarama sells great glass jars with screw on lids so I started with purchasing way more then I thought I needed (but did). While these were running through the dish washer, I took every single item off the shelf, cleaned the shelves, lined them with no slip mats and rearranged the sizes of the shelves.

Then I transferred as many items as I could to the jars. Already, things looked so much better, I love seeing what I have at a glance and how much of it.

Here's me, mid purge when it was +35'c on my holidays, in my kitchen, with no air conditioning. Argh. This makes a wayyyy better fall project!

Next up was my large baking ingredients like flour. You will see in the before picture I had a monster jar. Well that monster jar held too much flour and knocked my shelf down a few times, so I tossed it and replaced it with 3 smaller ones from Target.

Once all the jars were filled and in place I bought chalkboard labels from Michaels (scrapbook section), sharpened my chalk with a knife and began labeling everything. It was/is so satisfying,  I am such a organization nerd.

For my jars and bottles I organized them by size and type, stacking up any doubles. I placed all the  bottles on a slant and spaced apart so I can see what everything is at once, without moving anything around.

TA DA! The AFTER!!

This is my favourite part of pantry!

BEFORE & AFTER SPLIT SCREEN

Side note: I'm sorry my pictures are not the best quality. I was going to reshoot the after pictures and maybe I still will, but the before are stuck being crappy. I need to move on from my iphone pictures #goals

Crock-Pot Recipes: Pepperoncini Roast

It's officially fall - YAY! My house is mostly all decorated, my pumpkin spice candle is regularly burning AND Grey's Anatomy started back last night #canigetanamen?! One of my favourite things about fall is getting back into crock-pot recipes. Making chili in the summer just isn't the same so I usually take a summer break...but it's time... Ladies and Gents...Crock-pot season is back and boy is it wonderful!

My crock-pot works quickly so if I am making something during the week, I will usually run home at lunch throw everything together and when I come home, voila, dinner is served!

This recipe is so simple it's ridiculous and Jeff loves it, so it's a regular in our crock-pot rotation. Whenever there is a nice roast on sale - boom. Just make sure you have the other ingredients on hand.

Ingredients:

1 Roast (any size you want)
1-2 Large jars of pepperoncini peppers (local friends - get these at Safeway, Metro never has them)
2 Beef OXO cubes
3 Garlic gloves (sliced)
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Step 1...place roast in crock-pot

Step 2 Add peppers with juice, 2 beef oxo cubs (break them into pieces and sprinkle around), salt & pepper and a couple garlic cloves ( I like to cut little slits in the beef and stick them in)

Step 3 - TA DA all ready to go - leave for 3-4 hours on high

There is no after picture because as soon as it was done, I immediately started eating the peppers, they explode with burning hot (and spicy) juice and I forgot. The roast becomes stringy, in the best possible way, and the flavour is as Mel B would say "off-the-chain."

Back to School Favourites: My Fall Must- Haves!

Let's face it, even when you are an adult, back to school means new clothes!

New season - new clothes - new me!

Well, not quite, but I am feeling like a new my new glasses with my new NIECE!!

Ahhh look at her!! She gets her own post - stay tuned!

 Here are some of my back to school must haves, see below for links. 

 I realize its a very dark palette and I'm okay with that!

Drooling over this cozy grey coat - Soia & Kyo

Scarf - Zara

Makeup Brushes - Vanity Planet
I scored this set for $40 usd about a month ago and I LOVE them. Brush sets can always be disappointing, however these are not. They are so soft, great application and love the roll up package they come in. I have a few expensive brushes, but these are holding up and working just the same!

Mac Lipstick: highly rated Ruby Woo

Slipper- Ugg I have almost worn my first pair out, I love them. The hard soles are great for indoor/outdoor!

Leather jacket - Aritzia

Boots - Sam Edelman Nordstrom

Purse -Tory Burch Similar Here from Nordstrom

Looneyspoons' Asian Coleslaw with a Sesame-Ginger Dressing

I am not going to lie to you... I love me some cabbage salad. It's a slight food obsession of mine. I'll eat it non-stop for a couple weeks, then take a break for 5 months. Well, guess what peeps?!  I am currently mid obsession because I found a new recipe and naturally, I need to share it with you good people.

Typically I buy the coleslaw prepackaged mix, toss with 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 seasoned rice vinegar, add some nuts de jour and maybe avocado...but today, I share with you the Looneyspoon ladies delicious Nat King Coleslaw recipe.

I have eaten it the last 3 days and need to make batch number 2 #cantstopwontstop

Cabbage is some good ol diet food as well. *small digression* I once went out to camp with my grandma for a week after coming home from university (tired, hungover, fat, hungover, tired - you know how it goes). In a week of watching movies, stuffing my face with our simple cabbage mix noted above and even our infamous camp gingerbread cookies I lost 8 lbs. I came to town a new woman. Thank god for cabbage and Grandma Max.*digression over, you can keep reading*

Ingredients

Dressing
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp grated gingerroot

Salad
1 pkg (about 1lb) coleslaw mix
2 cups bean sprouts
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 large Red Delicious apple unpeeled, cored and shredded ** I used 2 Granny Smith Apples peeled & finely chopped instead because GS are the only kind of apple in my eyes**
I also added some peanuts and slivered almonds

Directions

Wisk dressing ingredients in a small bowl. In a large bowl combine all of the salad ingredients and toss with dressing. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Good news, this salad tastes as good or better on day 3.

All ready for tossing 

Our Canoe Trip

I am happy to say we returned safely from our canoe trip adventure! I was nervous going with just the 3 of us, but we were just fine. I edited our packing list in this previous post and added things I wish I had brought, thankfully there were not many. 

The weather held out for the most part and we spent the weekend fishing, swimming, playing cards, paddling around and cooking! We are so lucky to have these beautiful provincial parks in our back yard for exploring and enjoying.

I only brought my cell phone because it has a waterproof case so my pictures are limited. 

 

View from our campsite - with a beautiful rainbow and no one else in sight!

Things I have learned from this trip:
- Spending time in nature is good for the soul
- Paddles work very well as serving tools
- I only want to be on camping trips as long as the ice, in my cooler full of drinks, survives (3-4 days) #glamping
- I am super into ciders this summer, specifically this delicious grapefruit raddler - try it!!
- Always bring decent pillow & sleeping pills (or gravol)
- I am so glad a married a guy who enjoys and is useful in the outdoors! *put this on your list ladies*
- Plan at least one camping trip per year

Canoe Tripping: Meal Plans, Supplies & Packing List with updates

We are headed on our annual canoe trip today and for the first time, we are taking Finnegan. I am a little unsure of how it will all go, but here's hoping it works out. This year we are going for 3 days and 2 nights. I always google what other people bring to look for new ideas, so here is our list for meals, clothes and supplies.

* updated post trip with added items and crossed out things we didn't need*

Menu Plan

Breakfasts

- Eggs, for making scrambled eggs and for fish batter (cracked into a plastic water bottle for easier transport)

- Instant oatmeal

- Protein bites (recipe here)

Lunch

- Quinoa Salad (I made this one here)

- Cans of tuna

- PB sandwiches 

Snacks

- Pistachios

- Beef Jerky

- Licorice 

- Cut up pineapple

- Spitz

Dinner

- Fresh pickerel 

- Potatoes

- Pasta and sauce

- Italian sausages 

Cooking extras:

- salt, pepper, butter, parmesan cheese

Ready to be packed away

Packing List

Matches

First aid kit

Flash lights/head lamps 

Extra batteries

Water proof speakers/ipod

Bug spray

Sunblock

Scissors

Knife 

Garbage bags
Rope for misc. things and clotheslines & clothes pins

Toilet paper (in a ziplock bag)

Shovel (you can imagine for what)

Pot and frying pan

Spoon and flipper

Extra ziplock bags (for fish)

Plates/bowls/cups/sporks
Biodegradable dish soap, cloth and bucket for doing dishes

Travel Mugs

Water bottles (1 case frozen to be our freezer packs and drinking water)

Bottled water

Water purifier

Axe
Saw

Life jackets

Towels

Frisbee

Deck of cards

Book we were too busy fishing lol

Sleeping bags

Travel pillows (huge mistake, uncomfy as all heck - bring better pillow next time)

Cooler

Beer/drinks & coozies

Camping chairs

Tent

Stove

Fish filet knife

Fishing rods and tackle

Map

Bear bangers

Cell phone (no service but will use for pictures)

Cell phone portable charger

Canoe

Paddles (seems obvious, but don't want to forget lol)

I packed each Jeff and I our own snack/drink bag to have handy while canoeing. I put frozen waters, flavoured soda water, can of tuna, licorice and pistachios in mine.

My cooler bag

Clothing

This is what I will be bringing, I am sure Jeff will bring half as much

- 2 bathing suits Forgot about skinny dipping, no bathing suit needed

- 1 pairs of shorts

- 1 pair of capris (workout style)

- 1 pair of sweatpants

- 1 long sleeve shirt

- 2 workout shirts (with built in bras, so no bras required)

- 1 rain jacket with a hood

- 3 pairs of underwear

- 2 pairs of socks

- 1 hat

- 1 buff (similar here) *so good for soaking and wearing around your neck in the blazing sun*

- 1 rash guard shirt

- 1 pair of sturdy, waterproof shoes. I bought these ones (sexy, I know) *seriously best things ever*

For Finnegan (our dog)

He has been treated for ticks

- Dog life jacket

- Towel

- Travel bowls

- Food

- Treats

- Frisbee

                                                                  Look how cute he is! 

All ready for his first canoe trip! 

Things I wish I brought:
- Baileys for morning tea and evening campfire drinks
- Some sort of cookie, I can't believe I went 3 days without haha
- Lemon for the fish
- Binoculars for checking out nature!

Summer Desserts: Coconut Whip Cream & Peaches

If you haven't made coconut whip cream yet, you are missing out...BIG time. Being lactose intolerant I am always looking for new delicious and healthy dessert treats and coconut whip cream on any fruit is the easiest, quickest dessert you could make.

The key to this recipe is always keeping can of coconut whip cream in the fridge UPSIDE DOWN.  When you choose a can from the store, pick one that when shaken does not sound very liquidy, the Thai Kitchen brand seen in the picture above works well. I try to always have a can in the fridge, but you need it to be in there at least 24 hours.


Ingredients:
1 can of coconut milk
1-2 Tbsp of pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
fruit of choice
mint leaves

Directions:
Open the can of coconut whip cream upside down. Scrap the hard cream into a mix master. You can keep the liquid for smoothies or another recipe if needed. Whip the cream for 1- 2 minutes or until the lumps are gone.

Next add the maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. I always add more spice, but it's up to you.
In a bowl or martini glass spoon a heap or two of the coconut cream and add fresh fruit. Garnish with mint leaves. Makes enough cream for 4 desserts.

TA DA - Yum, yum yum!