Lovely Poncho Dinner Party

We have been busy, you know, but never too busy to share a nice meal with my family. For this special occasion my daughter and I got out our matching ponchos!

We picked these matching ponchos up at a great sidewalk sale in the summer at one of the stores I will 100% support once I am able to fit into all their clothes. It's called FUEL, and it is fun and different, it feels like Montreal in there. Anyways these ponchos were the only thing that would fit us and they were 80% off.... so you know we had to get them!

This is the cool tag/designer that came with it. Pink Martini collection with the little pink car to match.

My mothere, aka, Gourtmet Goddess made a delicious dinner.

Sticky chicky from the Looney Spoons- recipe to come.

Some delicious beans and peppers stirfried with love.

Here's my plate, look at those cute little fingerling potatoes... so cute, eh?

For dessert, she made the yummiest desert. A berry crisp she saw on Chef Micheal Smith's new cooking show (much less annoying than the other show in his home)!

 Apple berry deliciousness.... recipe to come.... stay tuned!

Banana Maple Pecan Waffles

Here's a little something I whipped up one morning. I felt like celebrating... so I used my whole wheat pancake recipe as the batter- and REALLY jazzed it up.

Here's the link to my batter recipes, a very healthy beginning... http://simmerandglimmer.blogspot.ca/2011/11/whole-wheat-pancakes-and-turkey-bacon.html

... chopped up bananas- a healthy contribution too.

...brown sugar, walnuts... ok bordering on some little indulgence.

...ok definite indulgence, add some butter, some maple syrup and then.... you get the picture?

Finished product, just put a little bit of this little indulgent mixture on your waflles, pancakes, frozen yogurt or a shoe and you have been just transported to an amazing banana, walnut, maple trip!

And you know... I couldn't resist showing some residual Mickey Mouse wear! Happy Baking to you all!

Wanna Smoothie?

Here’s what you do…. Can you read my little recipe- scribbled down for Melanie so she can make her own?

Well we use the Magic Bullet and it’s perfect for this.  Fill the cup with one third low fat milk (1%), one third low fat vanilla yogurt and one third frozen fruits and blend it all up until you are all the fruits have been mashed up. It’s so delicious and real good for you. And for Melanie who won’t drink milk- this is a perfect way to ‘hide’ it.

Here’s the nutritional information:

108 calories

17g carbs

1g fat

8g protein

1g fibre

11g sugar

Little Sister's Birthday Party

Not too long ago we celebrated my little sister's birthday- my lovely parents hosted the festivities and fun was had by all!

So Melanie and I showed up with our matching Old Navy Heart Sweaters.

Some weird Moustache person came.

Of course, Stephanie Sachs came.

...and the birthday girl of course, who brought her little giraffe friend Sophie.

My lovely mother... (missing in photos- Brent, Barrie and my Dad- but they were there too!)

We grilled kebabs- chicken, pork, lamb, beef and sausage... ooooh, so good!

Delish fresh veggie salad.

But Julie's absolute favourite is this desert that my mom makes for her every year. Rice Krispy crust ice cream cake. My mom makes the crust with peanut butter (yummmm- added protein) and instead of ice cream she used caramel chunks frozen yogurt. Good healthy alternatives mom!

Look at Stephanie looking on at the spectacle. Our tradition- we all hold pinkies and make a wish and then the Birthday Girl blows the candles out and all our dreams come true!

Julie's polka dot presents.... I love the wrapping paper/bags my mom uses. Always so bright and full of fun patterns- I LOVE POLKA DOTS!

After the festivities... let me tell you, father and daughter had to nap, there was just too much excitement!

Guess what I'm wearing today?

This sweater is crazy old vintage... Like from 1988 old! My mom kept it because it's a Liz Claiborne. Good job mom ... I'm wearing it today in 2012. It fits me and argyle is back in style don't you know!

Second Cup Saturday Mornings

This is what my Fall Saturday mornings looks like folks....

 Nice start eh? Well, Melanie is taking a drama/singing/dancing class at the Living Arts Centre- right in the new downtown Mississauga.  So this is where I end up....

 ...but this is where I statrt. I go for a nice 1 hour long power walk in the neighbourhood. Oh, my how it has changed.

 Water fountains, and pretty parks...

 Giant planters with beautiful flowers...

 ...and lots of them- just like in Toronto's Distillery District.

Groovy close up...

.... and then my treat for walking long and hard on a Saturday morning... a giant coffee!

Sunrise on the Atlantic

Is it crazy that this was one of the best moments of our trip? 6:15AM on a Saturday morning in Daytona Beach.

 

I told Brent that we were not going to drive over 40 hours and be so close to the beach (Orlando to Daytona is about 30 minutes) and right off highway home- and not bring Melanie to the ocean. She has never been to the ocean. So we drove right to the beach and Melanie and I made our way to see the most beautiful natural creation of our holiday- the sunrise!

See, there we are right there, the sun rising, the wind blowing, the smell of the salty air...

Her little toes touching the Atlantic of the first time.

Mine, touching it for the first time in 20 years. The wave were powerful, even early in the morning. It was amazing to see so many people out, with chairs, sitting on the beach watching the sun rise... I want to live here!

Here, Melanie is tasting the salty water for the first time ever. I even made a movie of this salty debut.

My heart was filled with joy, with love with gratitude for having had the chance to bring my beautiful girl to the ocean for the first time ever.  With this, it was decided, next summer.... Mommy needs a beach, maybe a day or two of amusement parks, but the rest of the time... watching the waves rolling on this beautiful water is what I will need to do to relax, rejuvenate and celebrate life!  

Disney- fun with food!

Like I mentioned before... I wasn't able to be 'very' careful with my food choices because of the restaurant dinning we had to do. But I thought I would still share some of the fun foods we got to sample... and believe me... whatever I ate, I walked/sweated off!

Look frozen Mickey Mouse Ice Cream Sandwich... this was a favourite of Melanie's.

There she is on another day enjoying the same snack. But I know what you are staring at- what the heck is Brent eating? No, it's not a piece of poo... it's a chocolate covered, nut clustered frozen banana. He was trying to eat 'healthy' by choosing a banana.... funny looking, I know!

As for my chosen frozen treat... a Mickey Mouse chocolate covered ice cream.... it was so refreshing!

Ok, onto some healthier meals... We enjoyed some Authentic Chinese food at the Nine Dragon Restaurant at Epcot. We had some beef and broccoli and shrimps with beans- and a giant ball of rice!

But I think our favourite was this General Tso Chicken and dumplings- with a giant ball of rice!

Here was a little breakfast buffet fun. The world famous Mickey Mouse waffles with a little fruit, a little egg and off  course... a little bacon!

Oh, but one of the highlights is when Brent figured out we were only a few minutes away from what used to be my favourite restaurant back in the '90's. Olive Garden, now no longer available in Canada.

I used to love the salad- the dressing was so light and yummy. And as I did before, I would pick off all the onions, peppers and the tomatoes. But Melanie and I loved it so much, we had 2 bowls- because you can... free refills- so American, eh?

...and of course the breadsticks... got to love those breadsticks... we kinda inhaled a few, and got refills, because you can.

I know, I know.... so not healthy! But I had to get the lasagna and see all the cheese, I think this might be the same amount of cheese one would eat in a week.... so needless to say, I only ate about half of it.

Next stop, Hollywood!

Ok, now we are back to some healthy meals. We went to Planet Hollywood one night and I ordered this blackened fish with this fruity salsa. It was really delicious- and finally - a healthy meal.

Brent and Melanie enjoyed fajitas- a pretty healthy choice. Except if you eat 5 of them...

We were staying at the Pop Century resort in the '60's part of the resort. Groovy, peace man... so we had to try a piece of their signature desert- the tie-dye cheesecake.

Ok, I think I left the best for last. Cheesecake from Groovy Heaven! Oh man, it was rich and creamy with a red velvet bottom... It was a 'sharer' - but I glad we tried it.