how cool is this on-the-go french press coffee maker/holder that my neighbour got me for christmas?! it was a total surprise, i can’t believe she bought me something, let alone something THIS COOL!
and so practical, too! Continue reading
Tag Archives: simple
{organic beef roast}
8 Jan
i don’t eat a ton of red meat. however when i do, i prefer it be as local, organic, and grass-fed as possible.
have you ever had grass-fed beef? you may think to yourself, “what do you mean, don’t all cows eat grass?” when you think of a cow, you picture a field or pasture and you see them eating grass, right?! well, you may be surprised to know that most cows are actually fed a grain or corn-based diet – that stuff is in everything!… again, i encourage you to do your own research.
there is lots of fresh, organic, local, grass-fed beef where i live. and that makes me so happy! i have mentioned before that i don’t really subscribe to any “diet” per se – but if i had to pick a category to fall into, i would say my diet is totally intuitive and mostly organic. and it varies all along that spectrum. this time last year, i was totally vegan and coming off a major 2-week cleanse of only veggies, fruit, kombucha, and water. i remember around christmas, trying some of the ham at whole foods one day and i actually spit it out. and now, i can’t seem to eat enough meat! so i’m just listening to my body and rolling with it.
i recently bought this adorable little crock-pot, which is perfect for the tiny home, and it fits about a 2-pound roast just perfectly! it only has one setting – ON. but it totally does the trick!
{the final meatless monday of 2013! – artisan lettuce wraps featuring organic polenta and a homemade red sauce}
30 Dec
i like food you can consume without utensils 🙂
and there’s something about the word “artisan” that makes things more fun and enjoyable to eat 🙂
when i spotted this bag on sale at the market, i nabbed it up. it looked super fresh and crisp and i had some leftover polenta at home that i just knew would go great with it.
so i made a simple red sauce with the remains of a jar of marina i had in the fridge. then i tossed in some extra garlic, mushrooms, onions, carrots, and a little cheese, and boom! – i had a simple and delicious red sauce to pour over my polenta.
foodie side note : i only use organic corn products – corn is THE MOST genetically modified plant out there. and it’s in everything. do your own research, i highly encourage it 🙂 Continue reading
{meatless mondays – vitamix breakfast cookies : a new holiday tradition}
23 Decthis is my third year making my vegan thumbprint cookies {AKA “vitamix breakfast cookies”} to give as gifts or to share at work… or eat all by yourself 😉
so, here’s the original recipe in case you missed it…
———
these are always always always a hit. i’m not much of a baker, but when i find something that is easy to make and that people like, i try to perfect it and make it my own. i have yet to quite create the perfect consistency for these {i’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to anything i make or do}, but i do think i found the right name for them. the ingredients are so simple and healthy that you could literally eat them for breakfast – and not feel at all guilty about it!! they are also great for holiday parties or after school snacks. a good source of dietary fiber and protein as well as healthy fats.
yields about 3 dozen cookies, depending on size variation.
as always, i’m a huge proponent for using as many organic products as possible when i cook or eat…
– 1 cup almonds or pecans or a mix of both
– 1 cup rolled oats {gluten-free works, too!}
– 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
– 1/2 cup maple syrup
– 1/2 cup canola or safflower oil {which i haven’t yet tried}
– 1/4 teaspoon salt {i believe this constitutes as a “pinch”}
– your favourite jam or conserve {i have wanted to try a savory jam like jalapeno berry or something}
begin by preheating your oven to about 400 degrees. Continue reading
{product review : hilary’s eat well veggie bites – and my first giveaway!}
19 Nov
hey friends! a while back i wrote about hilary’s eat well veggie burgers… they have quickly become a staple in my tiny home. i love the burgers, but i must admit that after trying the bites, they are definitely my favourite. i like “bite-sized” things anyway and hilary’s doesn’t disappoint.
you can read all about the company in my last blogpost – here. hilary’s eat well foods is a transparent company that is locally-owned and operated and they are also part of the non-gmo project – those are two of my favourite things about them. i’m such a fan and supporter and since i’ve collaborated with hilary’s eat well, i now have the fun opportunity of offering a giveaway!
all you have to do is go to hilary’s eat well facebook page and “like” them. then comment below telling me you did so, and i’ll enter your name in the drawing! Continue reading
{meatless monday : get your greens, even in winter!}
18 Novgreen is good!
we all know how much i love kale. i’ve also been known to eat copious amounts of swiss chard. and i never turn away spinach, especially in a smoothie… and sometimes, nothing satisfies like a gigantic bowl of fresh-chopped salad mix…
i know we are heading into winter, but don’t forget to eat a lot of colour during this season!
a simple salad is a fantastic and delicious way to get raw, dense nutrients into your system. while i do find myself “craving” salad a little less during the winter months, i recognize how important it is to eat a salad as often as possible. in the summer i have one every day, but in the colder months, i typically want warm food {like most of us.} salads are a great way to absorb nutrients through healthy fats {add avocado, for example} and to get extra fiber in your diet. Continue reading
{stunning red chard}
29 Oct
do you like chard?! i love it!! red, rainbow, white – any colour will do 🙂
it is so beautiful, don’t you agree?
i’m fascinated with the texture!
the colour throughout reminds me of veins… and greens are good for your blood, so how cool is that! Continue reading
{meatless mondays – roasted spaghetti squash with fresh parmigiano reggiano}
28 Oct
it’s a meatless monday recipe!
spaghetti squash {and all squash} is totally in peak season right now… and it’s one of my absolute favs! i typically make it just like a pasta and serve it primavera-style with a fresh red sauce… but this time, i wanted to use up my freshly-cut parmigiano reggiano… there is just nothing like it.
simple stuff :
– olive oil, grass-fed butter, lemon, parmigiano reggiano… Continue reading
{thirsty thursday – homemade pickles and oktoberfest for days!}
24 Oct
i have always been a HUGE fan of pickles. they are easily one of my favourite snacks. once i started making my own, i was hooked! i have even been known to travel across the country with them… no joke.
as usual, i KISS with these. simple ingredients :
super easy refrigerator dill pickles :
- 5-6 cups cucumbers, chopped
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 head fresh dill
- 2-3 cloves garlic {optional}
{end-of-season tomato and goat cheese toasts}
17 Oct
aren’t these cherry tomatoes just gorgeous?! it’s sad that the season is over… but i’m still eating as many as i can when i find them at the market…
i just eat them like candy… popping one at a time… nom nom
i was inspired by the pretty-much-nothing-left-in-the fridge emptiness of me almost moving and therefore having no food in the house… and i looked around at the half-loaf of bread and jar of cream cheese i had laying around…
“it’s like a little mini pizza… kind of.” {i thought to myself…} Continue reading
{whatever wednesday – dehydrated kale chips}
16 Oct
so, i bought a dehydrator... it’s amazing and it’s already changing my life.
i know that may sound drastic, but at this stage in the game – pretty much everything in my life is drastically changing…. so – this is no exception. owning a dehydrator has totally changed the way i shop, too. if i have an over-ripe fruit or veggie, but i’m not sure i’ll eat it right away – I CAN DEHYDRATE IT! if there is a one-day sale on fresh fruit and i want to stock up but it won’t fit in my freezer – I CAN DEHYDRATE IT! i can make my own fruit-rollups, trailmix, and even dehydrate herbs like sage or rosemary.
my favourite thing to make lately is kale chips. i wish i would’ve had this thing in the summer – totally could’ve kept the house cooler than making kale chips in the oven! Continue reading
{tiny-home tuesday : the interior}
17 Seplast week i introduced you to the cutest tiny-home ever.
this delightful minimalist house isn’t quite complete – a few final touches are still in the works from the amazing builder… but as promised, here are some fotos of the interior. and i will share more soon, and even more down the road… when it’s fully complete and decorated inside!
🙂
—
the front door opens into a small foyer with shelving to the left and a place to hang coats, etc.
ladder to sleeping loft is removable…
main living space – to the right is a window and a kitchen table… Continue reading
{meatless mondays : rainbow quinoa featuring my homegrown tomato!}
9 Sep
as i mentioned saturday, i harvested my first tomato from my early girl tomato plant… it was so exciting!
i used it in this quinoa dish with some chopped zucchini and sauteed sweet onion…
i ate two slices just to savour the flavour of hard work and dedication… plus, it’s the only one i’ve had all season so far!! sigh… patience. Continue reading
{meatless mondays : heirloom cherry tomato risotto}
2 Sep
you know how i feel about risotto right?! that it’s like the greatest thing ever and i love to make it and eat it all the time?!
like here…
this was great, too.
for this recipe, i featured these beautiful cherry tomatoes…
i love the different colours and shapes… like humans! 😉
hehehe 😉 Continue reading
{a week of vitamix smoothies – day five : strawberries, blueberries, mangos, vanilla ice cream}
30 Aug
it’s magenta!
this one should be like, the official “food and foto” smoothie… right?! 😉
– fresh strawberries
– frozen blueberries
– frozen mango
– apple juice
– splash of grape juice
– squeeze of honey
– vanilla {coconut} ice cream
i decided to try the ice cream since it was in my freezer anyway, and i had run out of regular coconut milk. i try to limit my dairy intake overall… i admit it’s tough because i LOVE cheese!!!!! so i substitute where i can in other ways. like with this smoothie, i used coconut milk ice cream 🙂
this was SUPER good… and was more rich than other smoothies i’ve made, probably because of the ice cream. it’s good to mix it up sometimes, yanno?! variety is the spice of life, right?!
drink the rainbow!
😉
{a week of vitamix smoothies – day two : mangos, blueberries, spinach, flaxseeds, almond milk}
27 Aug
yet another colourful creation… and although this one is definitely “green”… it’s not at all green.
– frozen blueberries
– fresh spinach
– 2 pitted dates
– whole flax seeds
– apple juice
– almond milk
as i’ve mentioned before, i’m not big on measuring – i just ‘eyeball it’ usually… i’d say the basic ratio is roughly 1 cup solids to 1 cup liquids, generally speaking…
adjust consistency to your liking, adding more liquid or fruit as necessary… easy peasy.
DRINK THE RAINBOW!
😀
{thirsty thursday – new stuff i love : the life factory water bottle and kishu charcoal water filter}
22 Aug
and here we have ’em in action…
first : the kishu active charcoal water filter.
have you spotted these anywhere yet?! they’re somewhat new to the market, but i imagine you’ll start to see them pop up in a lot of places.
the kishu water filter is just basic active charcoal that’s undergone the carbonization process… making it like a rock.
and this filter helps rid basic tap water of any lead, mercury, and chlorine… to name a few.
second : this super cool glass water bottle from life factory. Continue reading
{thirsty thursday : tunacado toasts w/ a little good karma!}
8 Aug
i’ve written about this combination before…
it seems to be a big hit! i mixed it up a little this time, but as usual, simple ingredients here : Continue reading
{meatless mondays : my very first “official” product review : hilary’s eat well veggie burgers
5 Aug
hey gang, i hope you enjoyed the weekend.
lots of fun things happening around here at food and foto! for starters, i gained my 600th {+} follower last week! i am always so humbled and grateful when anyone subscribes to the blog. please allow me to take this moment to thank those of you who take time to read and follow and comment and engage… i just really appreciate it! this blog wouldn’t be the same if it weren’t for you!
also, i received an email from a lovely rep at Hilary’s Eat Well a few weeks ago, asking if i would be interested in trying and giving feedback on some of their products. i was familiar with hilary’s eat well, but had never actually had the pleasure of eating any of their products… so i was super excited for the opportunity to not only try them, but to write about it on my blog! my first official review 😀
once i read up on the company, i was even more excited for the experience. Continue reading
{meatless mondays : rainbow quinoa w/ volcanic garlic and heirloom tomatoes}
29 Jul
quinoa dishes are great for many reasons. one thing i love about them is they are great served hot or cold. quinoa is a wonderful source of protein and it is even a complete protein which means it contains all 9 essential amino acids. this makes it particularly good for vegans or vegetarians. i also love quinoa because i find it sustains my active body for a good while.
i whipped up a quick batch to take to lunch for a few days using my amazing volcanic garlic, 1/2 a sweet onion, and 1 medium beautiful heirloom tomato. Continue reading
i am audrey michelle
i am a minimalist
food & foto 