strong to the finish

eating green in 2013: green lemonade, recipe found here.  

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simply. more. green.

This morning called for a bit of second breakfast, thus a refreshing spinach lemonade! I made it smoothie style, opting to use an immersion blender rather than a juicer (ha, the juicer that I don't own) and added one kiwi. Unsure if little G would like it, I let her start by dipping her fingers, a few minutes later I could barely wrestle it away from her. In fact, after downing a whole glass a mild tantrum ensued because more smoothie failed to magically appear (I made only enough for two glasses).

It seems we have one green-loving babe on our hands, bringing me endless delight. "Strong to the finish" 'cause she eats her spinach!

Baby green machine in action. 

guacamole

eating green in 2013: a twist on guacamole, recipe found here. 

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simply. more. green.

Avocado is my favourite food. I know this seems silly as most people would state a favourite food that qualifies as a complete dish or type of food (e.g., cheesecake, or, Mexican) rather than a simple fruit. However, the humble avocado is truly the food I crave the most and feel happiest before, during and after eating. Our babe shudders when eating it, thus I am stealthily working on a gradual indoctrination to the way of the avocado...

I made this guacamole for lunch today to be eaten on toast and to accompany leftover galette (see here). This version of guacamole, while delicious thanks to the addition of curry and cumin, could have benefited from tomatoes and cilantro. It sure disappeared in a hurry (although, you can see it already beginning to brown in the photos below when compared to the initial photo I took, only minutes apart). 

Tasty green remnants. 

I hope I have done my friend Lauren proud (I suspect she loves avocados as much if not more than I do) as she regularly makes a tasty guacamole herself. I see a guacamole party/Mexican feast in our future! 

sweet. earthy. vibrant.

eating green in 2013: harvest vegetable galette with greens and goat cheese, recipe found here. 

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simply. more. green.

For a crusty cake I'd say this is the most healthy and delicious version I've ever made (and my first ever galette!). Amazingly, we managed to get through the weekend with leftover goat cheese and beets so today's lunch seemed the perfect opportunity to try something new, green and earthy. There's a great lemony-winter tang to the greens (I used a Meyer lemon which has a sweeter, less acidic taste than more common lemons) which pairs nicely with the sweetness of the crust. Definitely a lot to love in this little dish, which someone will soon be sampling upon waking from her nap! 

4/52

"A portrait of my child, once a week, every week, in 2013."

the 52 project: 4/52.

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The rains came this week, sparking a creative session on the fourth floor (in the "fun room" as named by our friend Shawn) of our new house. Little G and I coloured in a book of animal masks using crayon rocks which G attempted to snack on merely once. Interestingly, the pink rock was her favourite (she wouldn't let me use it to decorate the lion's mane, and later that same day refused to let Daddy use it) and she quickly made her colour preference known. It was a short session with the masks, for once the white-tailed buck and fawn appeared, colouring quickly lost it's "wow factor".

Sharing creative time together, learning about G's preferences, seeing her kiss (and nibble) new creatures - these are a few of the things that I love about this experience.

winter fresh

The Winter Farmers Market represents a little island of freshness within the city, a glimpse into community life in Vancouver and into the lives of those closely connected to the land. This morning I spoke directly with a beef farmer, sampled pink lady apples (the most crisp and perfect apples ever), enjoyed 100 mile bread and came home with a bag full of freshness to share with dinner guests. 

I snapped a few pictures while little G and I wandered through the stalls, loving the perfectly imperfect form of the organic produce and the smiling faces on the vendors and their happy, hungry buyers. A trip to the local farmers market is a feel good outing to be repeated often! 

Back at the house a little raccoon finds himself a feast set to ripen in the windowsill, Sean and I are enjoying apple-walnut bread with apples and little G is napping (hopefully dreaming of the beets, goat cheese and brussels sprouts she will be eating later). 

roasted portobellos with kale {but of course}

eating green in 2013: roasted portobellos with kale, recipe found here.

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simply. more. green.

"Here is the handful of shadow I have brought back to you: this decay, this hope, this mouthful of dirt."

Friday night is pizza and salad night in our house. We've had a basic green salad each night this week, thus tonight I thought I would get a little crazy and do something different. Oven-roasted portobello mushrooms - a mouthful of dirt - with my beloved kale, garlic chips, red onion and a marinade of apple cider vinegar, honey and olive oil... A lovely and hopeful side dish! 

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*Excerpt from Margaret Atwood's "Mushrooms", published in her 1981 poetry collection True Stories.

love like an ocean

 

With love like an ocean in her heart, it's no surprise she's a water baby. 

kale, it seems i love you

eating green in 2013: kale + broccoli and scallion frittata, no recipe.

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simply. more. green.

Dear Kale,

With your sturdy, slightly bitter leaves and your shocking green, it seems I cannot get enough of you. Who knew you would steal the show in "green in 2013"? I am planning to stalk you at this Saturday's winter farmers market, watch out!

xo, Mel

green salad + quinoa/sweet potatoes/apples

eating green in 2013: chopped salad with quinoa, sweet potatoes + apples, recipe found here.

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simply. more. green.

Treating my insides well today (after a weekend of plentiful celebration) by making this salad for lunch. Crunchy apple, soft roasted sweet potato and tangy dijon - delicious. I followed the recipe precisely, with the addition of avocado to up the green factor and a sprinkling of hemp hearts to make it extra pretty. I'm planning to make this salad again over the weekend when friends come for dinner as it is so tasty that it must be shared!

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Little G picked out all the apples, spit out the greens and fed the rest to a passing hedgehog.

3/52

"A portrait of my child, once a week, every week, in 2013."

the 52 project: 3/52.

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Reading one of her favourites, The Snail and the Whale. A gift from her cousins, this book has seen so much love it now proudly bears a duct tape spine. 

The following pictures are part of the context, which I have decided to include (when available) with each of the weekly pictures I choose going forward. Furrowed brow, grandpa cardigan, delighted squeal, clasped hands, contemplative gaze - these are a few of the things I love about this photo set. 

ocean bound: spanish banks

Ocean bound: Spanish Banks.

Little G, Monty and I spent most of today oceanside, loving Vancouver. We found our way to Spanish Banks this morning where Monty swam, G threw sand and I enjoyed the feeling of warm sun on my shoulders. We were all set to head home for lunch and a nap when a friend called to invite us for a walk on the Stanley Park seawall. Off we went for an additional three hours oceanside, and possibly the most exercise G has ever had (she walked the entire time we were at Spanish Banks as well as some of the Stanley Park seawall). Thank you Vancouver winter for gifting us these sunny days! 

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A blind dog named Freedom, G running down the seawall giggling all the way, seeing our lovely visitors and their children one last time - these are a few of the things I will remember about today.