Given that some readers of my blog may not be interested in my exaggeration and stories, I'll also post a recipe.
I'm thankful to Mel who shared this with me.
Soak 1cup of raw (not roasted/toasted/seasoned) almonds in 4cups of water overnight (or obviously just use a 1:4 ratio).
Add 1tsp of vanilla, 1 tsp agave and pinch of sea salt.
Blend.
Strain out the chunks, cheese cloth works well.
And that's it! You can also remove the skins after soaking and dry the remaining almond chunks by laying them out on a pan and putting them under broil in the oven, then grind to have almond flour. It takes a while to remove the skin, but is definitely cheaper than buying almond flour.
Thursday, 25 April 2013
Shopping has never been my forte. I feel like it started when I was six, and I needed a snowsuit. My dad, for some reason, was assigned to this task. He was just as dissatisfied as me about the situation. He wanted to be out skiing, I wanted to be out tobogganing. But alas, he was stuck with a little person who needed a snowsuit and about as much of an attention span as he. We scoured store after store, but couldn't find something suitable. I don't remember why. I can't imagine being too picky at six, but maybe I was. My guess is that we couldn't find a matching coat and snow pants combo that was reasonably priced and wasn't pink or purple since my parents were determined to teach us to challenge gender roles and didn't want three daughters with all pink and purple wardrobes. Finally, after twelve stores, a few tears and temper tantrums from both of us, we found a suitable snow suit. I don't know, maybe this scarred me. Maybe I was just never born to be a super shopper. Maybe my Mennonite roots create so much guilt inside of me when I want to buy something, instead of sewing a loosely fitting black dress myself. Whatever the reason, I'm not big on shopping.
This is mostly a good thing though, since I believe living simply is important and that it's important to not focus on material items. My disinterest, however, can be challenging when I need to replace clothes. I used to shop at a lot of used clothing stores, primarily Mennonite Central Committee Thrift Stores. I would certainly replace my clothes, however, I usually bought more than I needed since it was such a good price, and the clothes didn't really actually fit me or I didn't really actually like the clothes...but it was such a good price!!!
I had procrastinated enough. Both my jeans had holes in them from riding my bike. It was time.
Preparing to shop is like preparing for a race for me.
-have a snack with a good balance of protein and fast burning sugars for energy
-bring a bottle of water, comfortable shoes, light clothing
-don't eat anything too gas-producing in the hours before hand (to avoid embarrassing change room exits)
-visualize the route
-stretch
I made it to the mall, kept to my route, and achieved my goal. The only bump in the road was that I forgot my water, and I was so cold from foolishly thinking I could wear a spring jacket in the end of April (ridiculous, right?!) that I caved and bought a hot chocolate. A four dollar hot chocolate. Bah. Never mind, I succeeded in buying pants, and will not have to flash anyone with the holes in my current jeans.
This is mostly a good thing though, since I believe living simply is important and that it's important to not focus on material items. My disinterest, however, can be challenging when I need to replace clothes. I used to shop at a lot of used clothing stores, primarily Mennonite Central Committee Thrift Stores. I would certainly replace my clothes, however, I usually bought more than I needed since it was such a good price, and the clothes didn't really actually fit me or I didn't really actually like the clothes...but it was such a good price!!!
I had procrastinated enough. Both my jeans had holes in them from riding my bike. It was time.
Preparing to shop is like preparing for a race for me.
-have a snack with a good balance of protein and fast burning sugars for energy
-bring a bottle of water, comfortable shoes, light clothing
-don't eat anything too gas-producing in the hours before hand (to avoid embarrassing change room exits)
-visualize the route
-stretch
I made it to the mall, kept to my route, and achieved my goal. The only bump in the road was that I forgot my water, and I was so cold from foolishly thinking I could wear a spring jacket in the end of April (ridiculous, right?!) that I caved and bought a hot chocolate. A four dollar hot chocolate. Bah. Never mind, I succeeded in buying pants, and will not have to flash anyone with the holes in my current jeans.
Monday, 8 April 2013
Why do I bother trying to wear heels?
I recently bought a pair of fabulous green heels. They are cute and add some colour to my usual grey/black drab outfits. They were also on sale, too. Points for me.
The problem is, I don't know how to walk in heels. I want to know how. I've practiced. I've tried. I'm getting there, but I still generally look like I'm teetering and walking incredibly slowly.
The other morning I awoke to realize that I had no clean pants. Or at least wearable pants that are appropriate for the office. I put on a grey pair of dress pants that were hanging up, and soon remembered these were the pair that had ripped along the seam right from the bottom to the top when they got caught on the spikey part of my bike chain...I clearly don't know the technical word for it... it was ever so helpful that I had reminded myself to sew the pants by hanging them up with the rest of my clothing...on to the next option...a pencil skirt. Oh pencil skirts. They look so great on models, and on actors on TV and movies. I bought this skirt for more professional occasions. Then I gained about 5lbs and realized I can barely walk or breathe while wearing it, and have an indentation across my stomach for the next five days after wearing it. But today, there were no other options. So I put on my pencil skirt and my new heels. I looked so fabulous.
I checked for the next bus - another 29min. and I was already running late for work. There was no way I could bike in this, and I only had to go 1km. It wouldn't be that bad. I grabbed my jacket and work stuff and ran out of the house - well, took many small fast steps out of the house that is.
As I walked along the sidewalk, I began analyzing my practical vs fashionable choices for the morning. Skirt: fashionable, winter jacket with hood: practical, heels: fashionable, pom pom hat: practical, back pack: practical, biking gloves with holes in them: practical....I began to realize I looked like a highschooler meets budding professional.
As I walked, I could feel my shoes squeezing my feet. My hips and butt hurt both from being contained by the stupid skirt and from playing badminton two nights before. I pictured ripping through my skirt and being able to do karate kicks and doing kart wheels and running to the office. I couldn't burst through my skirt into comfy yoga pantsvthough using magical powers . So I continued to waddle. My chest became tight, and it was almost hard to breathe. I felt like I was cheering myself on the way I would in a half-marathon to finish. Almost there, keep your eyes on the end. Ignore the pain, get to the end. Twenty minutes later, I had walked a whole kilometre. *Eyes roll* I limped into the office, and took my heels off as soon as I could. Never again. Until I run out of pants the next time.
I recently bought a pair of fabulous green heels. They are cute and add some colour to my usual grey/black drab outfits. They were also on sale, too. Points for me.
The problem is, I don't know how to walk in heels. I want to know how. I've practiced. I've tried. I'm getting there, but I still generally look like I'm teetering and walking incredibly slowly.
The other morning I awoke to realize that I had no clean pants. Or at least wearable pants that are appropriate for the office. I put on a grey pair of dress pants that were hanging up, and soon remembered these were the pair that had ripped along the seam right from the bottom to the top when they got caught on the spikey part of my bike chain...I clearly don't know the technical word for it... it was ever so helpful that I had reminded myself to sew the pants by hanging them up with the rest of my clothing...on to the next option...a pencil skirt. Oh pencil skirts. They look so great on models, and on actors on TV and movies. I bought this skirt for more professional occasions. Then I gained about 5lbs and realized I can barely walk or breathe while wearing it, and have an indentation across my stomach for the next five days after wearing it. But today, there were no other options. So I put on my pencil skirt and my new heels. I looked so fabulous.
I checked for the next bus - another 29min. and I was already running late for work. There was no way I could bike in this, and I only had to go 1km. It wouldn't be that bad. I grabbed my jacket and work stuff and ran out of the house - well, took many small fast steps out of the house that is.
As I walked along the sidewalk, I began analyzing my practical vs fashionable choices for the morning. Skirt: fashionable, winter jacket with hood: practical, heels: fashionable, pom pom hat: practical, back pack: practical, biking gloves with holes in them: practical....I began to realize I looked like a highschooler meets budding professional.
As I walked, I could feel my shoes squeezing my feet. My hips and butt hurt both from being contained by the stupid skirt and from playing badminton two nights before. I pictured ripping through my skirt and being able to do karate kicks and doing kart wheels and running to the office. I couldn't burst through my skirt into comfy yoga pantsvthough using magical powers . So I continued to waddle. My chest became tight, and it was almost hard to breathe. I felt like I was cheering myself on the way I would in a half-marathon to finish. Almost there, keep your eyes on the end. Ignore the pain, get to the end. Twenty minutes later, I had walked a whole kilometre. *Eyes roll* I limped into the office, and took my heels off as soon as I could. Never again. Until I run out of pants the next time.
Sunday, 7 April 2013
Juicing remnants = muffin ingredients
I've been stashing the pulp remnants from my juicer in my freezer until I actually take the time to use the pulp. I made a batch of muffins last summer that were...edible, but not tasty. The muffins were a bit dry and too salty. I had used a recipe I binged (no, not "binged" as in ate too much, but as in the Microsoft search "bing" in the past tense). I tried the muffin recipe again today, and I think the muffins are more tolerable. I added chocolate chips to a few of the muffins to see if my husband would eat any. Given that the muffins contain kale, and my husband's body goes into vomitous convulsions at the word kale, I thought perhaps chocolate chips may be of assistance.
This is the general (though approximate) recipe I used:
1cup juice pulp (I had kale, broccoli, carrot, apple)
1/4cup coconut oil
1tsp vanilla
1tsp nutmeg
1tsp cinnamon
1cup of date puree (I used 1cup dates, 1 cup water to soak in for 30min)
3 cups flour
2tsps baking soda
1/4tsp salt
2cups water
1/2-3/4 cups unsweetened apple sauce
I had already mixed the water when I realized I didn't have any agave and instead would be using date puree. I think the mix was a bit too moist, and would reduce the amount of water.
I'm quite happy with how they turned out! They're nice and moist and not too salty like the previous batch :)
I've been stashing the pulp remnants from my juicer in my freezer until I actually take the time to use the pulp. I made a batch of muffins last summer that were...edible, but not tasty. The muffins were a bit dry and too salty. I had used a recipe I binged (no, not "binged" as in ate too much, but as in the Microsoft search "bing" in the past tense). I tried the muffin recipe again today, and I think the muffins are more tolerable. I added chocolate chips to a few of the muffins to see if my husband would eat any. Given that the muffins contain kale, and my husband's body goes into vomitous convulsions at the word kale, I thought perhaps chocolate chips may be of assistance.
This is the general (though approximate) recipe I used:
1cup juice pulp (I had kale, broccoli, carrot, apple)
1/4cup coconut oil
1tsp vanilla
1tsp nutmeg
1tsp cinnamon
1cup of date puree (I used 1cup dates, 1 cup water to soak in for 30min)
3 cups flour
2tsps baking soda
1/4tsp salt
2cups water
1/2-3/4 cups unsweetened apple sauce
I had already mixed the water when I realized I didn't have any agave and instead would be using date puree. I think the mix was a bit too moist, and would reduce the amount of water.
I'm quite happy with how they turned out! They're nice and moist and not too salty like the previous batch :)
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