Picnic by the Lake

     It's summertime again and the weather was gorgeous yesterday, so we had a picnic in Vancouver Lake Park. It was a perfect day; clear blue skies, and crisp fresh air ideal for being out in the sun to relax.
     Who would go to a picnic without food? So I prepared this simple meal packed with nutrients, which was quick and easy to make. For the appetizer, I made a vegetable salad. Our main dish was a whole wheat turkey wrap, and our dessert was a coconut mango parfait.
     I included chia seeds in our meal because it is the richest plant-based source of dietary fiber, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids. You can also put them in a salad, yogurt, smoothie, and baked goods. Enjoy the summer!
     The next post will be the recipes of the food from the picnic.

Green Smoothie

 



Strawberry Banana Green Smoothie:

Ingredients:
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 banana
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp. agave nectar
- 2 tbsp. flax seed
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1 cup ice

Directions:
Add ingredients to blender in order listed. Blend until smooth.

Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

The past few months have been very busy, which is why there hasn't been any new posts. Now it's about time to start blogging again. Recently, I have been reading the blog of my favorite blogger: Anne. She posted a vegan recipe for oatmeal cookies and I thought it was perfect because it's dairy free, and still tastes great. It shows that you can eat cookies as long as it's healthy! Watch out for my green smoothie recipe in the next post!

Dry ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat or gluten free pastry flour
2 cups oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ or 1 cup brown sugar (all depends how sweet you like it, the bananas are also naturally sweet; the riper, the sweeter)

Wet ingredients:
2 super ripe banana (mash it to mix)
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup raisins (or however much you prefer)
¼ cup walnuts (optional if allergic to nuts)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately, than mix them together.  Once everything is evenly mixed, place the cookies spaced apart on parchment paper over a tray.  Bake for about 15 minutes if you like them soft and extra 5 if you like them crunchy.  Let them cool and rest while you get out the milk(almond milk for me) and then enjoy.  Yummy!

Small Favors

It's the holiday season; the time for entertaining our beloved family and friends. It's either a casual open house, or a formal sitdown dinner. We're always thinking of a game plan with stylish decorating ideas and fantastic menus to wow our guests.

Greet them with a little something extra before they sit down to dine. This special something is a table name tag. For a fresh approach, cut two circles from heavy paper. Glue a floral pick between the circles. Wrap the pick with a thick ribbon and finish it with a bow. Stick the pick into a bright apple. Personalize the decoration with guest names before gluing it.

This out of the ordinary table name tag is impressive, yet simple to create. After dinner, let each guest bring it as a take-home party favor. Here are some pictures of the decoration from our Thanksgiving dinner.

Fall Season

     October has begun and although we're still getting sunshine, it's starting to get chilly and cold out. Leaves are turning to the shades of yellow and orange and started falling. We went to the Bi-Zi Farm Pumpkin Patch recently, so I decided to do some initial Halloween decorations for our entryway. Kids like it if you have nice decorations in front of your house and it's the first thing they'll see while trick or treating!
     Fall is one of my favorite seasons, it's the first time to start wearing scarves, boots, and sweaters. Since there is nothing much to do outside, it's perfect to just watch movies and sip tea. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving and I'm anticipating the upcoming holiday season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Sanctuary

I like the flowers in my garden;

the pink, the mauves, the red,

hydrangeas and begonias

make such a pretty bed!

- June Botham

 



     Summertime is almost over so I made a lookbook of my plants around the garden which I captured their beauty while in full bloom. On the front porch, since it's the focal point of the house, I put a planter of flowers on top of the balusters railing. This is a good alternative to hanging plants, which is hard to maintain because of its height.

     There's an old fountain which is now dirty and ugly so I planted some flowers to enhance it. Some of the flowers all around the house are also included.

     Whenever I'm tired and stressed out, I just gaze at the flowers. It's therapeutic and a stress reliever. It's like my little sanctuary.

 

 

 

 



Viva La Cancun!

     It's been years since we've last went on a vacation, so we've decided to go on a trip-- along with my sister's family (who are from Canada). It was the first time for my family to meet my sister's family, so it was a reunion. It was our 20th anniversary too; my husband and I thought this was a perfect way to celebrate our milestone after years of raising our daughters, working hard, and being busy in general. We couldn't hold in our excitement, mostly because it was our first time in Mexico. The anticipation while waiting for the date was really nerve-wracking.
     We had a lot of fun exploring the island of Isla Mujeres, and the beautiful Marina Lighthouse overlooking the breathtaking view of the Cancun Lagoon.
     We were amazed by the spectacular view and splendid torquoise water of the beaches we visited and the Caribbean Sea as well.
     It was nice to be away from the real world for a few days, just enjoying our trip, relaxing in the beach, and being stress-free from our job. It was really worth it, mainly because of its world class  service and amenities. I wish we could have stay longer. Staying in Cancun was our dream vacation. The memories will forever be cherished by our daughters. I thanked the Lord for protecting us and keeping us safe during our stay in this beautiful island.

Cancun Palace ( the hotel where we stayed )

20th Wedding anniversary celebration

Isla Mujeres ( part of our tour )

A beach below the Mayan Ruins overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

Group picture on our last day at Cancun.

Aventura Cove Palace ( part of our tour )

A view from our hotel room.

At the lobby of Aventura Cove Palace

Mayan Ruins ( Tulum Mexico )

At the pool of  the hotel.

Early morning walk at the beach.

Sunrise ( taken at the back of our hotel )

A view from Aquaworld ( a place where we did the snorkeling excursion )

Lorna's family ( at the entrance going to the Mayan Ruins )