Halloween, November and More

Happy November Everyone!

I first thought I’d start this post off with a few of my favourite things about November

• It’s definitely sweater weather (sometimes October can be warm)
• I can start listening to Christmas Music
• The last few weeks in the month the husband and I start some of my favourite Christmas traditions (will share more on that later when it gets closer)
• It’s time to bring out the hats, scarves and mitts (my favourites right now are my Vancouver 2010 mitts I got from Jaime last winter)
• Finally, although this isn’t every November I finally get to start working again this month. I go in tomorrow to start some paperwork and I’ll be working again in the next few weeks. YAY!

So yesterday was Halloween. If you follow me on twitter you might know that I’m not the biggest fan of Halloween. I really enjoy seeing all the little kids dressed up but I’ve never been a fan of dressing up myself since becoming an adult. I’m just never very good figuring out fun and exciting costumes. The last time I dressed up was probably about 9 years ago and I dressed up as a baby – boring right?

Anyways, since the husband knows I’m not a big fan of dressing up but I love holiday movies (Christmas but I love holiday movies of all types) we spent the day having a Halloween inspired movie marathon.

We watched:

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Saturday Night)

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Beetlejuice (Sunday)

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Gremlins (Sunday)

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Bram Stoker’s Dracula (Sunday)

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We also make a quick trip up the see the niece and nephew all dress up. They were so cute. My niece (age 6) dressed up as a witch and my nephew (age 4) dressed up as a monkey. We had considered going out trick-or-treating with them but we figured 5 adults and 2 children we’re a bit much. Maybe next year :)

Finally I wanted to give you a quick update on how the vegetarian vs. non-vegetarian eating was going.

This weekend was great. We did some easy healthy meals that were friendly for both the husband and I. Friday night we did homemade pizzas on naan, Saturday we did fajitas (vegetarian for me, beef for the hubby) and Sunday we did quesadillas. Tonight I’m going to make some spaghetti squash with pasta sauce. I’ll probably add some veggies and edamame to mine and I’m making meatballs for the hubby. Overall, things have been going really well.

Well I haven’t been feeling all that well today (I hate having a sore throat) so I’m going to spend the rest of the afternoon curled up on the couch listening to some Christmas music and catching up on some of my favourite blogs.

Question(s) of the Day: What is your favourite thing about November? and How did you celebrate Halloween?

~ Katie :)

Men Vs. Women – Food Choices

So this is not the blog post I was planning on writing but after a conversation with the husband last night I decided that this topic is what needs to be discussed.

First, I won’t forget to tell you all about my first teacher experience here in Calgary. I subbed at a private school today and it was great.

When I woke up this morning I wasn’t feeling the teaching vibe. Maybe it was the fact that I’ve been able to sleep in for the past 4 months or maybe it was that I’m use to doing things on my own schedule but I just didn’t want to get out of bed.

But after an hour or so in the classroom I got my groove back and was loving it. It was so nice to be back out there interacting with children, other teachers and staff. Anyways, I only had that one day booked but I can’t wait to get another teacher call soon.

Ok, back to the topic of discussion today: Men Vs. Women – Food Choices.

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This probably isn’t completely fair because I know this isn’t really an men/women issue but unfortunately in my household it is.

Although I haven’t come out to say it on the blog yet I’ve been eating a lot of vegetarian meals lately. I haven’t completely gone veg but I’d say 90% of my meals have been and it has been a conscious decision on my part. Unfortunately it is causing some disagreements with the husband.

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These are the two main issues we’ve been discussing:

1. The husband doesn’t necessarily feel that vegetarians are healthier then meat-eaters. I agree (being a vegetarian doesn’t necessarily mean you are healthier then a meat-eater – one is not better then the other – I feel that since I started eating more veg meals I’ve been eating better and feel just feel better overall) with him on this point I think that he feels that I am not getting enough protein and other vitamins that meat provides. I know he is just worried about me but I’m just not sure how to convince him that I’m watching what I eat and definitely getting enough of all the vitamins and protein that I need.
2. We are having issues with two different meals. They are actually not two different meals but I usually will add chicken to his meal (although sometimes he will eat some of the vegetarian meals that I cook but he likes to eat meat at least 4-5 times a week for dinner). I guess the problem is that it’s getting more and more difficult to find meals that will please both of us. In his words yesterday, “you can’t just add chicken to meal and make it ok. It doesn’t necessarily taste good”. 

So here is where I’m asking for your help. How do you and your significant other deal with different eating habits? Any advice or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

~ Katie :)

And I Chose…

First I want to thank everyone for their awesome cookbook suggestions. After I wrote yesterdays post and made a call out to twitter I got some great suggestions for vegetarian cookbooks.

Here are some of the books recommended:

• Supernatural Cooking
• Any of the Moosewood Cookbooks
• Vegan on the Cheap
• Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
• Rebar Cookbook
• Garden of Vegan

After hitting up two chapters stores, one 25% off coupon later and browsing tons of cookbooks I left with…

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Thanks so much to Robyn for this suggestion. I will admit that this book was expensive (about $50) but with the 25% off coupon and my irewards card of another 10% off I decided to splurge and get it. What I love about this book is that it doesn’t just list recipes but each section (eg. beans, vegetables, soups, casseroles, stir fries) goes into an explanation about the section.

For example: Winter Squash and Pumpkin – This has sections on

• Types of Squash
• What to Look For
• How to Store
• How to Use
• Special Handling
• Quality

Then it is followed by recipes using Squash and Pumpkins. In total the book is over 700 pages in length and has hundreds and hundreds of recipes. I will definitely have lots of yummy recipes to keep me busy for a while.

Thanks again to everyone for their lovely suggestions. I can’t wait to pick up a Moosewood Cookbook as well. I was debating between both but ended up with my choice because of the extra 25% coupon. It could only be used on a purchase of $35 dollars or more so I decided to take advantage and pick up the more expensive book.

Tonight we are celebrating Matt’s birthday so I’m making a simple pasta recipe (which is what he asked for) but I’m sure I’ll have some exciting new dishes to share with you soon.

~ Katie :)

Cookbook Help

This will be a short and sweet post.

Sorry for the lack of food blogging lately. I think the best meal I had this week was super simple. It was roasted veggies (sweet potatoes, butternut squash and broccoli) served on a 1/2 cup of quinoa topped with some roasted cranberries (I promise if you stick cranberries in the oven with your roasted veggies for the last five mins or so they turn out delicious) and a little feta. Absolutely wonderful dinner. Unfortunately I was so excited about eating it I forgot to take a picture.

Yesterday I also got creative with lunch. I was craving parsnip fries but I had no idea what to have with them. After thinking and thinking I came up with a simple and easy idea.

Two pieces of whole wheat Italian bread topped with a thin layer of pizza sauce, tons of spinach and a little mozza and feta (another obsession of mine right now).

Served with parsnip fries of course.

And I even remembered to take pictures this time :)

These were the only three pictures on my camera when I plugged it in :(

Help Needed:

Ok so here’s what I need help with right now. I’m heading to the store later to pick up a vegetarian cookbook and I need your ideas on your favourite one. If I don’t get any suggestions I’ll have to grab whichever one I feel looks the best but I’d love some input if you have a favourite.

My other plans for today include:

• Yoga in a hour
• Lunch at Wok Box
• Picking up the Hubby’s Birthday Present (his birthday is on Monday)
• Spending some Quality Time on the Couch with a Book

Happy Friday Everyone and Enjoy Your Weekend!

And don’t forget to leave a comment with your favourite vegetarian recipe book.

~ Katie :)

Short and Sweet

I just wanted to write a quick post catching up on my daily eats. I know I promised some pictures of my purchases yesterday but I’m a little behind so those will have to wait till tomorrow.

Breakfast this morning was an egg white omelette topped with some mozza and a couple of slices of the chocolate chip banana bread I picked up at the market yesterday.

After running out to pick up cat food and doing a couple of things around the house I couldn’t get the veggie burgers from last night out of my head so I had another one with some mozza and spinach on a whole wheat bun served with a side of baby tomatoes.

Just as good as I remember them.

After lunch I did some more job stuff before getting ready for yoga. I hit up another hot foundation class at Bohdi Tree Yoga. This was another great class. I felt much more focused this time throughout the whole class and I felt strong, confident and relaxed. I’m looking forward to another class tomorrow.

After yoga I was heading to my step-brother’s house for dinner so on the way I snacked on a homemade protein bar.

These were just as good as the originals. You can’t even taste the protein powder.

Dinner was pita pizzas. I had a simple pizza with spinach, feta and a little mozza. After dinner I had a homemade cupcake that my niece and nephew made earlier that day - how can you say no to a 3 year old and 5 year old :P

Now I’m just chillin’ on the couch before heading to bed. The hubby comes home tomorrow – YAY!

Night all!!

~ Katie :)

Oh Happy Day

This post is going to be short and sweet. One of my best friends in the entire world is coming to visit me today. She has been traveling around Europe for the past 2 years (usually comes home at Christmas so we get to see each other then) and she just spend the last month and a half in BC with her boyfriend. She is headed back to NS to start the job hunt and on her way she has decided to make a quick stop in Calgary to visit me! She’s only her for a little less then 24 hours but I’m still very happy that she’s coming. I’ll be picking her up from the airport in about 3 hours.

Before I head to do a little cleaning and tidying I just wanted to share the amazing soup recipe that I made last night for dinner. It was adapted from Simple Bits.

Hearty Vegetable Minestrone Soup

• 3 tbsp of EVOO**
• 1/2 a medium onion, chopped**
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 young carrots, chopped
• 1 cup of celery, chopped
• 2 small zucchini, chopped
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped**
• 2 ears of corn, cut from the cob
• 1 cup of fresh green beans
• 1 box of organic vegetable stock
• 2 cups of water
• 2 large tomatoes (approx. 2 cups), chopped**
• 1/4 of a pack of whole wheat spaghetti
• 3/4 of a can of white kidney beans**
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped – plus more for garnish
• Fresh parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

**Changes I made to the recipe – you can see the original here.

The recipe was simple but it took about 2 hours in total. It almost took an hour just to cut up the veggies but it was worth it in the end. Definitely don’t try this if your in a rush, it requires quite a bit of prep time.

I also decided to add some kidney beans to make it a little more hearty and filling for a full meal.

First, I chopped up all the veggies. Then in a large pot I heated up 3 tbsp of EVOO in the bottom. Once heated I added the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, zucchini and rosemary. Let that cook for about 5 mins stirring until the vegetables are a little soft.

Then add the fresh beans and corn and let those heat up (approx. 2 mins) then add the vegetable stock, water

And chopped tomatoes.

Bring the water and stock to a boil then let cook for about 10 more mins, stirring occasionally.

While everything else is cooking, heat up water and cook pasta according to directions on the package (before added the pasta break it up so it is in smaller pieces). Also, drain and rinse the kidney beans from the can.

Once all that is done, add the pasta, beans and 1/4 cup of basil.

Cook for another 5-7 mins then season with salt and pepper.

The recipe made about 7-8 servings.

What an awesome end of summer, beginning of fall soup recipe.

Serve in a bowl with a little extra basil and some parmesan cheese.

 

Along with a piece of fresh bread.

A great vegetarian recipe (or vegan without the cheese). Even the hubby who is against anything vegetarian loved it.

I definitely recommend using fresh veggies for this recipe. It made it the soup!

I’m off now to get ready for my houseguest. I’ll be back tomorrow with another yummy recipe to share!

~ Katie :)

Staying Home

Matt spend last night coughing and again I got very little sleep so I didn’t end up going to work today. I was exhausted and I had a huge headache so I slept in. I really needed it.

This is going to be a short post. I burnt my hand cooking dinner tonight and it really hurts so I’m just going to write a quick post.

After I got up I headed to the grocery store to pick up a few things. Including low fat bran muffins. I had one for breakfast…

 

Lunch was a bagel sandwich with a whole wheat bagel, mozza, turkey and spinach…

With a side of carrots and baby tomatoes…

Dessert was a bowl of cherries that I split with Matt…

And mini-eggs. Matt’s bowl I stole three from…

I had a mid-afternoon snack. Another Kardea bar. This time is was banana nut…

This one was delicious! Tasted like banana bread!

At the grocery store I picked up this for supper…

I served it up with broccoli and a slice of Ancient Grain’s bread…

I only ate about 3/4 of the pie. A tasty vegetarian meal.

My hand is hurting so this is going to be a very short post.

Night all!

~ Katie :)