Fall Colours

I love this time of year. Although cooler, it's still bright and full of unique colours everywhere you look. Nature has such an amazing way of putting colours together that you may not think really go together and making it work.

This is the inspiration behind our "Oaks and Acorns" design. The purple and green colour scheme pops on the light natural apron but still remains soft and pretty. 

Our friend Sarah, the gourmet goddess

We hope this apron encourages the "gourmet goddess" in you to do some cooking with the rich and vibrant root vegetables that are in season.

Or, if you prefer the sweeter side and are more of a "baking beauty", go apple picking and try out this apple yogurt cake with a cinnamon sugar streak from The Kitchn. I made it last week...it lasted for 3 days...Yikes!

Enjoy.
xo

Not Another Turkey Sandwich...

Don't get me  me wrong, I love a good sandwich. But, before you get sick of another turkey, tomato on rye, why not try something a little different with your leftovers? There's nothing like a warm meal on a cool Fall evening.

Healthy and easy, try out this turkey curry recipe from the Good Food Channel in the UK (they know their curry!) The spices in Indian cooking can be so comforting and delicious.

The best part is that it tastes just as good the next day and the day after that etc...etc...It freezes well too!

So, make a big pot and enjoy.

xo

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

image from catchmyparty.com

We are hosting family from New York City this weekend and have been thinking of what to do while they are here. I love having out of town guests because it gives us a chance to hangout with friends or family we don't get to see often and also, me, a chance to be a tourist in my own city. It's a reason to wander through different neighbourhoods or take part in events that you might not otherwise think of doing.

I enjoy looking for "off the beaten track" places or unique things to do whenever we go traveling. So, because it's Thanksgiving in Canada, I thought it would be fun to explore some different things happening this weekend across the country.

Vancouver:
Swallow Tail Tours is hosting a chef guided rainforest walking tour. On the 2 hour walk, you'll discover edible herbs, berries and mushrooms and learn how these earthy ingredients are whipped into culinary delights. Enjoy a gourmet lunch with wild herb tea served in a mountain cabin by the river.

Calgary:
Check out the exhibits at the Glenbow Museum. Made in Calgary is a 5 part series and they are showing "The 1980's" this weekend. As Calgary soared to economic power during this time, it also brought a new energy to the arts.

Saskatoon:
Because we are a part of a wonderful "handmade, artisan and craft community", we have a soft spot for ventures where artists and designers show and sell their wares. Support made in Canada products at the pop up shop Mix and Match.

Ottawa:
Did you know there was a Canada Agriculture and Food Museum? There is and it's in Ottawa! They have fantastic Thanksgiving events this weekend. Everything from making apple cider to guided tours of how renewable energy is generated from natural resources.

So, what are we going to do this weekend in Toronto? We're going to do what we like best. Going for brunch at Cafe Belong, check out the farmer's market and go for a hike all at the Evergreen Brickworks.

Happy Thanksgiving!
xo

Hanging onto Summer

As we try to ward-off the inevitable season change, there is a way to keep a little summer with us all year round...preserving!

Join the vast growing preserving community. It's fun, easy and healthy and, you always have something delicious on hand. While you do have to set aside a bit of time to do the actual preserving, why not get a friend or two together and do it as a group thing? Host a "make and share" party!

Here's an easy recipe to make your own peach jam from pickyourown.org, a website that provides local listings of pick your own farms in numerous countries including Canada, United States, Australia and South Africa. They have great tips and you can always check to see what is growing seasonally in your area.

Of course while you are making your own preserves for yourself or as lovely gifts for all your friends and family, you have to look good doing it. We have a stunning apron called "Jars of Love" designed for the canner in you. It also has the cheeky message "well preserved" to be taken any which way you like :)

Enjoy!

 

Getting Ahead

There is always a sense of accomplishment when you feel organized, when you have more things checked off the list than not. One item that is always on my list is to have a healthy breakfast. But, who has time to do more than toss some cereal into a bowl and pour milk?

Well, I found this recipe from savvymom.ca. It takes only 10 minutes to prep and you have a healthy breakfast for the next day! 

via savvymom.ca

Make-ahead Breakfast: Overnight Oats

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick cooking)
• 1 cup plain yogurt (2% or more)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2-3 tablespoons raisins or currants
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 apple peeled and coarsely grated
• 1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries.

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients, except raspberries, in a glass bowl or container with a tight fitting lid. Pour raspberries over top. Put the lid on and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours).
2. In the morning, stir in the raspberries. The oats can be served on their own, or with additional maple syrup, sliced fruit, nuts, and/or granola.

Enjoy!

Make-ahead Breakfast: Overnight Oats

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick cooking)
• 1 cup plain yogurt (2% or more)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2-3 tablespoons raisins or currants
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 apple peeled and coarsely grated
• 1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries.

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients, except raspberries, in a glass bowl or container with a tight fitting lid. Pour raspberries over top. Put the lid on and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours).
2. In the morning, stir in the raspberries. The oats can be served on their own, or with additional maple syrup, sliced fruit, nuts, and/or granola.

- See more at: http://kiwiandbean.com/overnight-oats-bircher-muesli/#sthash.ByVZPais.dpuf

Make-ahead Breakfast: Overnight Oats

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick cooking)
• 1 cup plain yogurt (2% or more)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2-3 tablespoons raisins or currants
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 apple peeled and coarsely grated
• 1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries.

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients, except raspberries, in a glass bowl or container with a tight fitting lid. Pour raspberries over top. Put the lid on and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours).
2. In the morning, stir in the raspberries. The oats can be served on their own, or with additional maple syrup, sliced fruit, nuts, and/or granola.

- See more at: http://kiwiandbean.com/overnight-oats-bircher-muesli/#sthash.ByVZPais.dpuf

Make-ahead Breakfast: Overnight Oats

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick cooking)
• 1 cup plain yogurt (2% or more)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2-3 tablespoons raisins or currants
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 apple peeled and coarsely grated
• 1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries.

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients, except raspberries, in a glass bowl or container with a tight fitting lid. Pour raspberries over top. Put the lid on and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours).
2. In the morning, stir in the raspberries. The oats can be served on their own, or with additional maple syrup, sliced fruit, nuts, and/or granola.

- See more at: http://kiwiandbean.com/overnight-oats-bircher-muesli/#sthash.ByVZPais.dpuf

Make-ahead Breakfast: Overnight Oats

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick cooking)
• 1 cup plain yogurt (2% or more)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2-3 tablespoons raisins or currants
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 apple peeled and coarsely grated
• 1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries.

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients, except raspberries, in a glass bowl or container with a tight fitting lid. Pour raspberries over top. Put the lid on and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours).
2. In the morning, stir in the raspberries. The oats can be served on their own, or with additional maple syrup, sliced fruit, nuts, and/or granola.

- See more at: http://kiwiandbean.com/overnight-oats-bircher-muesli/#sthash.ByVZPais.dpuf

How to Have A Party Without The Guests of Honour

For the past couple of months my sisters-in-law and I have been planning a party for my sister and her husband to celebrate the upcoming birth of their first baby later this month.

The Melon Baby

We were having it catered, baking our own desserts, planned the decorations and made up the games. We even had a teleconference to make sure we had everything covered...that's how organized we were!

The very day of the shower as we were setting up and making the melon baby, my sister calls me to tell me that her water broke (a month early) and that she couldn't come to the party because they were keeping her in the hospital until the baby is born which would be within a week. What are the odds of that?!

The onesie cake my cousin made

So, now what? We have 50 guests and no guests of honour.


After we made sure my sister and the baby were ok, we went on with the party! She called in and thanked everyone on speaker phone. We ate, played the games and even opened all her presents (just in case she got stuff she now needed right away). We had each person pick a gift and open it. We videoed it all for them to see later.

The baby block cake she also made

Although the guests of honours were not there, everyone still had a great time and all our hard work was appreciated.

My baby nephew Adam arrived August 22nd, everyone is happy and healthy. He obviously wanted to come to the party and decided he was coming that day!

Now we have many more parties to plan :)

Did You Want Fries With That?

Watching Super Size Me and few years ago made quite an impression on me. I can't help but think about how your health can be effected by the food choices we make.

I also realized that much of food culture has to do with what we see and hear advertised. It IS hard to eat just one chip, of course I want fries with that....

But that was then and this is now...we have options. Here are a few healthy versions of our fave fast or junk foods. Instead of fries...try zucchini fries. Say no to another potato chip...say yes to more parsnip chips. No need to ask "where's the beef?" when you can have a sweet potato and black bean burger.

None of these will taste just like the non-healthy versions you are used to but they will all satisfy your appetite and may help to curb your craving for empty, nutrition-less food. Now you can super size with the healthy variety and feel good about it (but not too much!)

Happy Good Eating!
xo

Photo credit unknown. Taken from article by Michelle Berg

Healthy and Refreshing

Everyone seems to be jumping on the health bandwagon. It's great as I get lots of tips as to what's good and tasty and what's not, without having to do the testing.

I have a couple of friends who are trying out juicing or blender drinks (not those kinds). It's an easy way to get more fruits and vegetables into your diet and it takes no time (or cooking) at all. This recipe from Chatelaine is great as it gives you options to try out different variations if you don't like certain foods.

Summer is the perfect time to try out some different variations as they are all light and refreshing.

Cheers to Health!
xo

Happy Birthday Canada!

The Canada Day long weekend is here and that means family and friends will be getting together and celebrating the birth of our wonderful country. Not only will there be celebrations in Canada, there are international events planned in honour of our great country.

One such gathering will be Canada Day taking over Central Park in NYC on June 29th. There will be music, food, art and education...and of course, all Canadian inspired. The festival will then move to the Canada Day party in London, England's Trafalgar Square on July 1st. Both events will be hosted by our boyfriend: George Stroumboulopoulos.

So no matter where you are in the world, home is close by and there is always a party being hosted by Canadians :)

Happy Canada Day!
xo

Get Out And Party!

Today is the official first day of summer...and that means sunshine, and outdoor fun! There is something to be said about entertaining outside. Nature creates the best backdrop for any party so, start planning!

We are currently doing some outdoor renovations as we are not great gardeners (luckily our neighbours are) but love to entertain, especially outside. So while the work is getting done, I've been scanning the internet for some great recipes to try out. I love the thought of individual portions or mini anything. I came across these 2 stellar ideas:

Cake pops have been all the rage...well how about an appetizer version? Here are Caprese Pops! Easy to make and eat...salad on a stick.

For dessert, there is nothing like pie in the summer. I found these adorable Tiny Tarts. Each is a perfect sized pie for 1.

Happy Summer Solstice!

Summer Countdown

The last day of school is coming soon! I'm sure there are countdowns happening in high schools everywhere. The anticipation of summer, especially for those who are graduating and moving on is extremely exciting. A new chapter in their life is about to begin.

Photo from Skip to My Lou

All the hard work and studying to reach your goal, whatever that may be, will all be well worth it.

So let's celebrate!

I came across these adorable candy graduation cap pops on Skip to My Lou. I love this website as it has great DIY ideas for every occasion and even projects for kids.

These candy pops are easy and would be great if you are having a little graduation get together.

Enjoy and congratulations!

Dads ROCK!

I was listening to a Freakonomics podcast the other day and they were discussing how women are not men, for better or worse.  The gender gap is closing in the way of income, education and certain fields of work. Happily, it’s not in things such as crime, alcoholism and oddly, being struck by lightning…men still out do women.

While it’s always good to remind us of the great strides women have come towards equality, it also got me to thinking of things in the reverse. Where women were the pioneers and men are just catching up. A number of professions and certain social skills come to mind.

There is also one gender gap where women have been in the forefront, celebrating the women in our lives…namely mothers. Mother’s Day has been recognized in North America since the early 1900’s. Father’s Day on the other hand, did not get the same level of acceptance. It took a number of tries to get the day recognized. The third Sunday in June was finally officially designated as a permanent holiday to honour fathers in 1972.

Domistyle knows that Dads ROCK and we would like to show appreciation to all the father-figures in all of our lives. Celebrate Father's Day and get 15% off any men’s apron using the coupon code LOVEAPRONS2013 when you buy online. Order by June 9th to make sure you get your purchase by June 16th.

A Domistyle apron is the perfect gift. All are one size fit's most, functional and easy to care for. These are not any plain old apron. All are MADE IN CANADA, our designs are original and our embroidered messages are funny and witty. There is a style to suit every dad!


xo
penny and lee

Easy A (pplesauce Muffins)

There is nothing I love more than EASY recipes that seem like they are way more work than they really are. This weekend, I tried out this recipe for Applesauce Muffins via Food.com. What attracted me to this recipe? The prep time was 10 minutes and cook time was 20 minutes and they were true to their word...

In 30 minutes the kitchen was filled with the lovey smell of fresh baked goods and I was eating delicious muffins. Yes, the recipe makes 12 even though my pictures only show 9. I couldn't resist trying out a few before I realized I should take a picture for this post.

The sweetie was so appreciative that I "worked so hard" making him a healthy breakfast/snack he can take on the run (of course I didn't tell him how effortless they were.)

I even made them gluten free by swapping out the flour for Bob's Red Mill gluten free all purpose flour.

** IDEA ** They are also so pretty that if you boxed them up and threw a ribbon on top, they would make a great quick and easy gift. 

Enjoy!

Celebrate Mama

Mother's Day is coming up, May 12th to be exact. Naturally, our thoughts turn to "how do we celebrate the wonderful women in our lives?" Mothers can come in all forms so it's not surprising there are a lot of definitions of the word in the dictionary. My fave has to be from wordreference.com:

mother
noun
a stringy slime containing various bacteria that forms on the surface of liquids undergoing acetous fermentation. It can be added to wine, cider, etc to promote vinegar formation

I do have to admit that I always buy apple cider vinegar "with mother" but that's a whole other post.

For our purposes, we'll stick to one we found in the Oxford Dictionary that speaks more to mothering, but very appropriate:

verb
bring up (a child) with care and affection: the art of mothering
look after (someone) kindly and protectively, sometimes excessively so

Moms are the women who care for us, feed us, worry about us and comfort us. There is nothing that nourishes more than mom's cooking, no better lesson learned than a treasured family recipe passed down.

Domistyle has the perfect gift for your mama. Get the apron that expresses her style in the kitchen. Will she cook for shoes, is she a Gourmet Goddess or maybe a Baking Beauty? Choose from an array of designs and messages, all are fully adjustable so one size fits most and easy care means they always look great! All are proudly MADE IN CANADA.

From now until May 12th, get 15% off ($5.70 value) any women's apron (excluding gift sets) by using the coupon code loveaprons2013.

Get mom the gift she'll use and is stylish and fun!

Let's Make "Made in Canada" a Fashion Statement!

These were the words that came from conversations with friends and associates on social media regarding the tragedy in Bangladesh. It started with a great blog post from Red Thread Design and continued with our colleague Tail-Wags. We as shoppers need to make a statement that the price for cheap apparel is not worth the exploitation of workers. These terrible things will continue to happen if the demand for "throw away" fashion remains high.

We should take a page from the food industry where farmer's markets and buying local has blossomed into a sustainable industry. People are getting to know the people who grow and raise their food. With that, they are building a trust and understanding in each other.

Domistyle, like many other companies have made a conscious decision to manufacture in Canada because it's important to us that we support our local communities and work with other like minded companies.

This Globe and Mail video features a couple of great local shops continuing the conversation of why supporting local businesses is so important.

Make Your Fashion Statement!
xo

Penny and Lee

 

Domistyle on The Steven and Chris Show

We are so excited about being featured on The Steven and Chris show today.  The guys have been giving us expert advice in a fun and charming way on CBC since 2008.

They have great segments on everything we love like home décor, health, cooking, entertaining and much more! Our pal Chef Jo Lusted will be on the show doing a dish make over...healthy pizza!

They also have lots of DIY projects that you can actually do. Here is one of our faves: The family organizer bulletin board.

Check out the show weekdays at 2pm EST on CBC in Canada or watch online. You'll see a few of our aprons :)

Enjoy!
xo

Love-Hate Relationships

The love-hate relationship is so interesting to me. How you can feel such polar opposite emotions for any one person, place or thing, should be an anomaly. But it's not, it happens all the time.

I have a lot of these relationships with many foods. I love tomato sauce, but hate tomato juice (are they really that different??). I love dark chocolate, but hate white chocolate. I love cooked celery but hate raw celery. The list goes on...

Lately, I have been on the coconut craze. I love coconut curry, coconut oil and coconut water but hate coconut itself. How does that even make sense? I think for the most part it's the texture, but even the thought of biting into just one sliver of coconut makes me cringe.

I've talk to a few friends about this peculiar fruit and the verdict is split. People definitely either love it or hate it. There are no in betweens. So why love one part or version of a food and not another? I guess that's why we should try dishes even if they have ingredients we don't like, we just might be surprised. Here are a couple recipes with my love-hate obsession...the coconut.

Coconut Red Lentil Soup from 101 Cookbooks

Coconut Cake from Food 52

Enjoy!

P.S. The gorgeous image is by Blanca Gomez

Spring Cleaning...Everything

Spring is definitely around the corner and with that, it's time to get out of hibernation mode! And the best way to get prepared for the arrival of the loveliest time of year is to lighten up...and that means everything. From your home, to your body, to your mind...it's a great time to reset and clear your focus on the path ahead.

Nothing feels better than a healthy body and open mind. Each Spring I do a simple cleanse to rid myself of everything my body was holding onto over the long winter.  I've never been one for the extreme "no eating" or "drinking something weird" type of cleanses so, I make Kitchari...an Ayurvedic dish that's known for its ability to detox the body with the specific ingredients in it. It's a one pot meal and provides all the nutrition you need in a day. So like other mono-diets it's the only thing you eat throughout the day. I'm using this basic recipe and you can add whatever vegetables you would like to it. I'm doing a week but, you can do as little as 1 day to as much as 2 weeks.

Meditation is a wonderful way to clear your mind and take time out of your busy day to just step back and refocus. It's not an easy thing to do. I have found that guided meditation is a good place to start. The Chopra Centre offers a bunch of free guided meditations that you can do in as little as 15 minutes.

It may seem odd, but spring-cleaning your home can be surprisingly uplifting. It's an amazing ritual to go through every nook and cranny of your space and rid yourself of stuff you don't need and dust off the cobwebs. The instant gratification of a neat and well organized dwelling is inspiring. It's almost like seeing things in a new light. Use this really comprehensive checklist from the expert Martha Stewart.

So pick a day (pick today) and get started...you'll be amazed that these little things will help simplify your life and help you live lighter!

xo

And the Oscar Goes To...

There are some really good movies in the running for best picture this year at the Oscars...or so I hear they are good. I love movies but am generally pretty slow to actually seeing them. Of those on the nominated list, I have seen two: Django Unchained and Zero Dark Thirty. Both were extremely violent, but both were also outstanding stories.   

Although I have not seen many of the movies, this does not stop me from hosting an Oscar's party. Any reason to have a party works for me! I'm working on a movie themed game and of course we'll have the ballots. As per usual, because of my lack-of-movie-viewing, my ballot will be filled with guesses based on what my friends who have actually seen the movies say or what the entertainment shows have just reported as the front runners in each category.

Food wise there are a myriad of ideas. Here are a few movie-themed suggestions for you to use at your own Oscar's party:

Zero Dark Thirty - Classic Hummus as it's a traditional middle eastern dish. Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

Life of Pi - Fish Pie Need we say more? Recipe from Food it Forward.

Lastly, we had to pick Argo for the Canadian connection and what's more Canadian than maple syrup? We found this wonderful recipe for Maple Spice Cake from where else but Canadian Living :)

Have a ball on Oscar night!

Happy Valentine's Day Eve

Valentine's Day is tomorrow and no matter how you feel about the holiday, you can't deny that any reason to celebrate love and eating chocolate is a good thing.

This year the pressure is off for my sweetie and I as we are going to a wedding on the big love day. Not only are the happy couple getting married on Valentine's Day, it's the 1 year anniversary of their first date! I can't imagine more pressure for a first date then one on Valentine's Day. Then again, a first date on St. Patrick's Day would be worse...yikes!

Anyway, we are excited to be getting dressed up, going to a fancy event and watching people we love, express their love and commitment to each other.

Enjoy celebrating all the people you love in your life! xo

And in case you need a quick and delicious chocolate recipe (who doesn't?), try this one from my good friend Tom.

Black Bean Brownies
-1 15 oz can of black beans
-3 eggs
-3 tbsp of oil (canola)
-1/4 cup cocoa
-1 tbsp baking powder
-1 tbsp vanilla extract
-3/4 cup sugar
-1/2 cup chocolate chips (I use dark chocolate ones, but you can use milk chocolate)

Preheat oven at 350. Grease a 8x8 pan (or whatever you have).
Combine all ingredients in a blender (except for the chocolate chips). Blend until smooth (it'll look and taste like pudding, yum!). Pour into the pan. Add the chocolate chips on top and bake until top and edges are dry (I usually stick a knife in the middle and if it's dry, the brownies are ready).