2, 20, 200

Today is a GREAT day for 2 reasons!

(1) There are only 2 days until Christmas
(2) As of today I am off of work for 2 weeks!

Leaving work today this is how I was feeling:





Can I get a hallelujah? :-)

This first week will be spent at home ... and then the second will be spent in the Dominican Republic.

Tomorrow I am going to sleep in ... and pretty much do nothing all day. Best. Feeling. Ever.

On to eats ...

Last night I snacked on some tortilla chips and guacamole. I also enjoyed a POM and sparkling water "martini." All drinks are better in pretty glasses.





Today's eats were rather repetitive and boring - sorry. I have tonnes of leftovers to devour.

Breakfast was leftover wifesaver (recipe tomorrow - I promise):



A banana:



And OJ:



I had a bigger breakfast than usual because I had to take Malaria pills (so I don't get Malaria in the DR) this morning. They say to take them with food, and there is a high chance that they can cause an upset stomach. I decided that the fuller my belly - the better.

Lunch was provided for us at work by our principal. I had 1/2 cup of Caesar salad, 1 slice of garlic toast and 2 small pieces of veggie pizza. I also had an orange. Sorry, no pics.

Dinner was leftovers again - ham and scalloped potatoes.



And a chocolate for dessert.

This evening the hubby and I went to the movie Avatar. It was REALLY cool!! We shared a popcorn.

This post is my 200th post!!!
I wanted to share 20 ways that I have changed during the time since I started this blog:

1) I used to HATE oatmeal before I started this blog. Then I discovered toppings :-)

2) I hated breakfast in general before starting the blog, and now breakfast is a meal that I look forward to. I don't know why this changed.

3) I think about food and recipes LESS now that I have started the blog. I don't get it either. It may be because I have been too busy this semester to think about anything other than school and work - but that will all change now!

4) I tried my first green monster, and LOVED it.

5) I have developed an intense desire to run that I never had before.

6) I feel more and more comfortable taking photos of my meals in restaurants.

7) I find it odd that I try to prolong my breakfast as long as possible so that I can get some natural light for the photo. Summer is way better for food photography.

8) I have learned a lot more about how to use our DSLR camera.

9) My pants are all too big - must be the green monsters!

10) I have realized that that slice of cake in the staffroom is not worth going to get my camera for. Besides, I hate cake.

11) I have realized that most people have never heard of a food blog, and are really intrigued and confused by the idea.

12) I have found that blogging relaxes me, and helps my unwind at the end of my day.

13) I have discovered that people in the blogosphere are some of the nicest people around. Your support and encouragement are heartwarming.

14) I have felt more energized (again - must be the Green Monsters).

15) I have gotten sick less, and the 2 colds that I got were the most MINOR colds I have ever had. I got over them quickly and painlessly.

16) I am willing to try dishes I would never have thought to try before - next up - savoury oats!!

17) I have discovered how difficult it can be to blog everyday, when sometimes I feel like I've got nothing.

18) I have discovered that people actually read my blog - never thought that would happen when I started this :-)

19) I had "stomach issues" for about 6 years. For at least 3 of those years I suffered daily with what felt like nervous stomach - I won't get into all the details here ... but it wasn't fun. I thought it could be lactose intolerance, or IBS. The doctor told me it was neither. He gave me some pills to relax the muscles in my stomach area - they kind-of worked. My doctor is not the kind of guy that wants his patients on prescription meds. so instead he told me to take psyllium husks. I started taking the capsules daily, and the problem went away completely. BUT, if I stopped taking them for over a day, the problem would return. This went on for 3 years ... until I started my blog!!! I know it is weird, but about 1 1/2 months ago I realized I had forgotten to take the psyllium pills for about 2 weeks - and I was fine!! I haven't taken them since! I don't know if it is something in my diet that has changed that has caused this problem to be cured after 6 years ... or what exactly it is - but I will take it!!

20) Even after all this time, I am still nervous to tell new people about my blog. They think I am weird. What do they know? :-) I was weird before the blog.

Do you blog? How long have you been blogging? How have you changed since you started blogging?

Evening peeps! Thanks for the ideas for the extra room at my house. We will be considering all options and I will let you all know when we decide on one :-)

Breakfast this morning featured POM arils and Vanilla Stevia from NuNaturals (thanks again to Ron for sending me some products to try):

I also threw some coconut and a tsp of chocolate chips on top.

Lunch was leftover meatloaf and sweet potatoes. Kat asked how I make the meatloaf ... it is just ground pork, lean ground beef, garlic, onion, pepper, a squirt of mustard, and a squirt of ketchup, couples dashes of worcestershire, cracker crumbs, and I think that's it. I don't measure any of it, I just toss it in.

After work I did some grocery shopping and then picked up dinner from "Wok Box."

I had the red chicken curry. It was mediocre.

I also had a glass of milk to calm the spiciness.

I am wiped - long day. Gone to relax on the couch with the hubby!

This evening I did some baking!!! I made shortbread and chocolate mountains!! (Pics tomorrow).

Do you do any Christmas baking?

Is it only Tuesday? It feels like I have gone through a whole week already ... blech.

I am not being very productive with my thesis peeps ... I am just having trouble getting into my groove (I think it is because there are so many other things I would rather be doing).

Breakfast this morning was a bowl of POM oats:

I added the arils of 1 POM to the oats as they cooked, and then topped them with 1 tsp of mini chocolate chips, and organic unsweetened coconut.

My mid-morning snack was 1/2 of a glo-bar:

Lunch was leftover chicken, and sweet potatoes:

As well as a fruit cup:

And some cheese:

Dinner was Ristorante Dr. Oetker Spinach pizza:

(The pieces are mini)

And a large side salad:

(lettuce, mushrooms, tomatoes, green onions, green peppers, cranberries, almonds, cheese, and a fig balsamic dressing).

I did some work for my thesis tonight, but no writing - just more research.
There is NO way I will have my draft done for tomorrow like I hoped. Crappy.

I am done working for the night, and am going to make a snack and sneak in a 1/2 hour show with the hubby.

I want to make a Christmas CD (or buy one) over the next few days ...
Any song or CD suggestions?

Mmmm, Cheese.

We had a GREAT time at the cheese party last night, and we were out far too late!

Before we went to the party, we had a light dinner of roasted veggies and salmon:

The salmon was so fresh, and perfectly cooked. Nom nom nom.

At the party I had a couple glasses of this:

The spread was absolutely wonderful, with many kinds of cheese, and some delicious tapas.

I had about 2 grapes from this lovely fruit platter:

One little bite size piece of this potato dish:

Probably about 10 of these tortilla chips dipped in this tasty taco dip:

2 pieces of calamari dipped in a homemade aioli:

And then I nibbled at all of this cheese (and about 5 Cheesies) throughout the night:

I had about 4 crackers and maybe 5 squares of bread:

Later on in the night I had 2 mimosas made with POM Wonderful and Henkell Trocken:

After a wonderful night with friends we came home and crashed until this morning when we were awoken by a phone call asking if we wanted to go for brunch (with my family).
Ummmmm yeah!

I had the "Wake - Up" breakfast:

I ate about 1/2 of it, and drank my weight in coffee.

I had a wonderful afternoon shopping!!!!! The hubby and I bought new drinking glasses from Costco, a leather chair for our computer desk also from Costco, a bunch of new cushions from Winners, some guest towels for our basement bathroom, and a giant piece of art for our living room. Ooooh, spending money just gives me a rush! Hehe. I need to do it more often.

I refueled with a Lara Bar this afternoon:

Now they hubby and I are playing with our nephew, then we are going to do some grocery shopping and head to hubby's parent's for dinner.

How has your Sunday been? What have you done today?

Birthday Oats and Snow.

Something miraculous and unexplainable has happened folks.

When I went to bed I was 26 years old ... and when I woke up, I was 27.

I thought they said sleep helps to keep you young - liars!

I decided there is nothing I can do about it. So I made myself a drink.

Just kidding ...

It is just some antioxidants. You know - to stop the aging process in its tracks.

I also made my favourite oats.

Mocha Coconut Oats





1/2 cup coffee, 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond breeze, 1/2 cup quick oats
Sprinkle of unsweetened organic coconut, and mini chocolate chips (you know - for the antioxidants).

I also woke up to this lovely gift from mother nature:



Luckily it is supposed to be +15 degrees Celsius on Saturday, so this should all melt away.

Does it snow where you live?

Have a great day everyone!

Brunch with Friends

Before I forget ... last night I had a snack. I had a mini baby bell cheese and 5 crackers:

This morning I got up and got brunch ready. Our friends are in town from Calgary for thanksgiving so we invited them for brunch today. I ate a small Glo Bar while getting brunch ready, since I was up at 9:00 and we weren't eating until 11:00.

I set the table, and started putting the spread out:

Strawberries for the whole wheat waffles:

Fruit for the chocolate fondue dessert:

We made whole wheat Belgium waffles with strawberries and fresh whipped cream, bacon (duh), and mini frittatas.

I had half a waffle with strawberries/ whip cream:

And 3 mini fritattas (I went back for one more after this helping):

And about 10, 000 pieces of bacon (I took 3 to start):

Altogether now:

Our lovely friends showed up with a bottle of Champagne and some POM wonderful :-) No wonder we like these people! We made mimosas obviously.

And because it was 5:00 somewhere, I decided heck ... why not have an orange mimosa as well:

I chased it with coffee.

We finished our brunch the only logical way - with chocolate fondue.

This wonderful meal kept me stuffed all day. I spent the afternoon having tea with my dad, going to some show homes with him, and then my dad took me out for supper to Korea House where I had Bee Bim Bop (hot stone - sorry no pic - but it is the same as what I had about a week ago).

I was going to do homework tonight ...
but homework makes me want to vomit so I decided not to.