Monday, May 28, 2012

Made

We had a barbeque last night and I made this amazing salad to have as a side.  I found this recipe on Bon Appetit's website and modified it heavily.  Gosh, it was so delicious I couldn't stop eating it!

Quinoa Broccoli Salad

 

1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
2 1/4 cups water 
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets, lightly steamed and cooled
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1/4 cup fresh mint, minced
6 Tbsp. olive oil
juice of one lemon, about 1/4 cup
2-3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
salt and pepper

Rinse the quinoa well and drain.  Put in a pot with the water, bring to a boil, cover and turn heat down to low.  Cook for 15 min.  Turn off heat and let sit another 5-10 min., covered.  Transfer cooked quinoa to a bowl and fluff with a fork. 
Add remaining ingredients and season to your taste.  Enjoy!
  
*We had this alongside tamari and garlic marinated strip loin, grilled to a perfect medium rare and grilled asparagus.  It was fabulous!

 


Saturday, May 26, 2012

Good day...

The sun is back!  I hope you all get to go outside and enjoy it!



Happy weekend! xo

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Baaa!

I work with some really fantastic people.  Julia is one of the lovelies.  She and her husband have a farm on the North Shore of Kootenay lake. They were gracious enough to take us for a tour and introduce us to all their fantastic animals. 
Lil'G was smitten with the chicks.  They were a mix of heritage breeds and they were so cute.G got quite good at wrangling them and wanted to show us every single one. 

 
 
 

I loved the alpacas.  Their hairdo's cracked me up!  Did you know that they are related to camels?

 
 
The Icelandic sheep were very sweet and gentle and their babies were gorgeous. 


 

There were also two cows but they were very protective of their babies so we didn't get too close. 
And of course there were the requisite farm dogs.  Sweet and goofy and always up for a game of fetch. 


Thank you, Julia, for your hospitality.  It really made our day!

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Making

I did a little sewing today.  It has been way too long since I sat down in front of my machine and made something.  I cannot let that much time pass again! 
I made a simple little summer skirt for Lil'G. 

 

The fabric is from a thrifted men's dress shirt that I had originally intended to turn into a maternity shirt.  Who was I kidding?  I never wear collared shirts and so it went into the to-do pile.  I pulled it out today and started cutting. 
I didn't use a pattern and I didn't take any pictures of the process - sorry.  First I cut off the sleeves.  Then I just cut the shirt under the arms, straight across the chest.  I sewed a simple casing at the waist for the elastic, inserted the elastic and hemmed the bottom.  I used an existing skirt to eyeball the length.  I also stitched closed the button band because it gaped a little.  Then I made some pockets with the fabric from one of the sleeves.

 

They are self lined, have a little pleat and a little band at the top.  Again I just eyeballed placement.  No one is ever going to notice if they aren't perfectly centered when the five year old wearing it goes whizzing past and wants to show you how her skirt twirls.  Not bad for $2.  I can't wait for her to see it!
I also finally took some pictures of another little sweater I made for the Wee Babe. 

 

It is the Coffee Bean cardigan by Elizabeth Smith.  I cannot say enough good things about this pattern.  It was so fun to knit with all the stripes!  It was so easy!  It wasn't boring even though it was all stockinette!  It was so well written! 


It turned out really sweet and I love the buttons.  I am hoping it will fit the baby in the fall. 
Have you been making anything?
xo

Friday, May 11, 2012

Some days....

...you just need a cookie.  Today we made these.


Chocolate chip cookies with dried apricots from the Rebar Cookbook.
So good.
xo

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

We went to...

...the fair. 
A fabulous time was had by all.   Thanks to Miss D for keeping me company while The Wee Beast and the Mister went on the rides!
xo