Cauliflower Popcorn

I made a delicious snack of roasted cauliflower and I can't eat it fast enough. So fun and yummy! It is like having popcorn made of cauliflower!

I broke a cauliflower into little florets, tossed it with a sprinkle of olive oil, coarse salt and chili powder, spread it in a single layer in a roasting dish and roasted it at 450 degrees for forty minutes. Presto! Spicy cauliflower popcorn!*

*Disclaimer: Okay. maybe I am exaggerating a little bit. It doesn't taste like popcorn. If there was a blind taste test involving my cauliflower popcorn no one would whip off their blindfold and be astonished that they hadn't been eating real popcorn. They would know. I'm just saying that as far as having a healthy snack of vegetables, this one is pretty exciting and is a welcome and tasty change from celery sticks.

Mrs. Fields Cookie Recipe

Who doesn't love Mrs. Fields cookies, those gooey bastions of cookie perfection?

I found a recipe claiming to be the Mrs. Fields cookie recipe here and decided to try to recreate the magic. I suspected that a key magical ingredient would have been left out. I've heard of cooks who omit something so that it never turns out quite the same in order to retain their champion cookie/cake/preserve maker crown.

I decided to attempt them despite my suspicions. I baked the cookies for longer than the recipe specified because they looked underdone and my oven can be weird sometimes. Next time I will bake them just as Mrs. Fields instructed. They were very yummy but not quite as magical as the original. I will just have to keep baking (and eating) until I get it right. Someone's gotta do it.

Anthropologie Dress Dilemma

I have all kinds of apron related business to attend to so naturally I began browsing through the new arrivals on the Anthropologie website. I am now obsessed with this darling dress. I love the bold pattern, it's cheeky peephole in the front and the fifties style cut. It is adorable. I have a few events coming up in the fall and I think this may be the perfect all occasion dress. Is it the Anthropologie spell that has been cast on me though? Is it only cute on tall skinny models wearing a red cloche hat and patterned tights? Are they tricking me with their adorable styling sorcery? Anthropologie is a dangerous beast for a girl on a budget suffering from a serious frock addiction.

Sweet and Salty Toasted Chickpeas

I saw a recipe for toasted chickpeas on Indie Fixx and had to make them immediately. Sweet and salty is the perfect combination for any snack in my book. What a splendid way to get a crunchy snack fix and be healthy at the same time. Next time I will pay attention to the instructions to cook the chickpeas for 20 minutes. I heard popping noises and took them out too soon and they weren't crunchy enough. I returned them to the oven and proceeded to ignore the popping and the burning smell, and managed to char half of them. The unburnt half tasted delicious.

I'll definitely be making these again.

Sweet and Salty Toasted Chickpeas (from Indie Fixx)

1. Drain a can of chickpeas and spread out on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet
2. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes (Don"t take them out early like I did. Don't burn them like I did either)
3. Toss the warm chickpeas with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 and 1/2 tsp cumin, salt and pepper
4. Pat yourself on the back that you are eating a tasty snack full of protein

Irresistible Coupon Deal

All of these coupon deals on the internet can be a very dangerous thing for the pocketbook. I try my best to refrain from most of the offerings, but today's from Fabfind is impossible to resist. An $18 manicure and a martini at Vision Lounge? What could be more delightful and girlie? I will put on some Carrie Bradshaw-esque high heels, grab a girlfriend and have our digits polished to ladylike perfection. What a fab girlie outing!

Adorable Animal Glasses

It is official. I am a sucker. Put an animal on anything and I am going to get excited. I defy anyone to resist these adorable glasses by Jessica Rust Designs. I saw them here and instantly fell in love. I instantly began fantasizing about how much cuter all beverages would be in these charming glasses.

Not only are the glasses adorable, they are made from recycled bottles and part of the proceeds go toward Sustainable Futures, an organization that helps the unemployable find work. Cute animals, sustainably made and helping those in need? How can I go wrong? And while I'm at it, there are dinner plates with animals too. Be still my animal loving heart.

Crazy Stupid Abs

A few girlfriends and I went to see Crazy Stupid Love last night. It was the same group that went to see Blue Valentine last winter which left us feeling decimated and depressed. This seemed like a much lighter movie choice and the lead up involved many email exchanges with pictures of Ryan Gosling looking like this:

There was an audible gasp from the audience at the ab reveal, from both the women and men. A collective swoon swept through the theatre.

My girlfriends and I are in complete agreement that Emma Stone is beyond adorable and we lusted over Julianna Moore's footwear. One girlfriend and I clutched each other when she appeared in suede clogs with a little peep toe. "That's a California shoe dammit!" She hissed. "You can't wear that kind of shoe here, you'd freeze."

The movie was sweet and touching and a perfect choice for an evening with some of my favourite girls.

Marc Jacobs Mimi Dress

Oh, Marc Jacobs. How do you keep being so on target with everything that I love? Isn't it enough that Sofia Coppola is your muse, that you have a cooler than cool New York vibe and everything you do is gorgeous? Now you have to taunt me with this Mimi dress that is the sweetest frock I have seen in a long time. Plus I love the model's haircut. And her shoes. I am inspired and filled with longing.

Not a Creamy Goopy Potato Salad

My picnic salad bonanza continues. Despite feeling swamped with wholesale shows, making product and feeling like the summer is on warp speed, I am still holding on to my picnic dreams.

It will happen.

I made Jamie Oliver's potato salad recipe and it is a welcome alternative to mayo laden potato salads. Who wants to worry about poisoning their picnic guests with spoilt potato salad? It is a fresh and light alternative.

Boil 2.5 to 3 pounds red skinned potatoes, halved or quartered, depending on their size, just until they are easily pierced with a fork. Drain.

Throw in 10 tbsp of olive oil, 4 tbsp of lemon juice, salt and pepper and 1/2 cup of dill (Someone needs to invent a cologne or eau du dill. I love it's fresh delicious scent). Mix all of it together while the potatoes are still warm and there you have it.

Easy peasy as Jamie would say....

Horseshoe Charm Necklace

I've never been a big believer in the lucky horseshoe. I am a city girl who has never been on a horse, although I do think they are beautiful creatures. I haven't felt the magical power of their shoes, but that has all changed once I saw these beauties by Peggy Li here. I need a horsey talisman immediately. I have a feeling that a delicate horseshoe around my neck would make me feel like a lucky girl whenever I wore it. Giddy up!

Chickpea and Raisin Salad

This may be the easiest salad ever.

I found the recipe in Real Simple magazine and it has quickly become a staple. I have already brought it to a barbecue where it was an instant hit and I have been keeping some in the fridge for when I am peckish and need a little protein pick me up. I brought it with me to a wholesale show this weekend and it kept my strength up during the long days of apron showcasing and chatting.

Chickpea and Raisin Salad (from Real Simple magazine)

In a small saucepan simmer 1 cup raisins, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar and 2 tsp sugar. Remove from heat and let cool

Throw 3 cans of chickpeas (drained), 1 cup chopped cilantro (or parsley, but I am a cilantro freak) 4 sliced scallions and the raisin mixture in a bowl

Add 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/2 tsp cumin salt and pepper

And that is it my friends. Real Simple indeed and oh so tasty!

Speedy Summer

I can't believe that it is already August. The summer is speeding along and I have a feeling that this month is going to pass by even faster. We were at Kempenfest last weekend in Barrie which was so much fun! We had the best view of the bay and the sun was shining the whole time. I was a sticky hot mess but it was delightful. I met so many lovely people and had great feedback about our aprons. Domistyle won second prize in the best textiles category. Yay! I got a ribbon and a hug. I was tickled pink.

Unfortunately I won't be able to sit back and polish my ribbon at my leisure. I have new product to work on and a couple of wholesale shows coming up. Busy, busy, busy. I will have to put my lying in a hammock fantasies on hold for a while and hope that the summer lasts for as long as possible.