i'm a penguin...i friend for life...

yesterday was a very hard day for me...i realized that someone i really cared for, no longer cared for me...

i'm a very sensitive person, and i take things so personally all. the. time. so when i noticed that i had lost a few readers, i wanted to know who they were, so i searched...and i was so hurt to see that one person...a lady i thought the world of, had stopped following me...a girl i opened my house, my time and my heart to had decided that i no longer mattered...this knowledge sent me into a bit of a frenzy...when i'm hurt...man, is it bad news!

so i emailed her...and was told that because i hadn't responded to her (not sure what i was suppose to respond to, there were no recent emails from her) and because she was in a grumpy mood one day, she decided we no longer had anything in common, she also mentioned that because i don't blog as frequently as i used to, i was no longer worth her time...and i thought, wow...wow...wow...and, yes, this is just a blog...but i feel it's a little more...it's a community...a support system...so, no it's not just a blog...

i haven't been blogging regularly...but my life has blown up...my job is extra crazy and i am planning a wedding...those are my excuses...and i think they're damn good excuses...and i choose to put more of myself, my heart and my soul into a day i have been dreaming about since i was a little girl...dammit, i found my soul mate...my happiness...my laughter...myself in someone else...and i am excited that we are taking this step...and i just want to pour my everything into making this one day as special and as beautiful as i possibly can...some people don't care for weddings...and that's their choice...but i do...and it's important to me...so i guess that is all that matters...

i also wanted to add that...i am a penguin...and i do friend for life...so if a friend is not as attentive or time isn't on their side...and they don't have time to focus on our friendship...i will always be there for them...no matter what...when i give my heart to someone, it's theirs forever, no matter the circumstance...i love...and this little bump won't stop me from continuing to put myself out there and i will always adore everyone that matters to me...and those that are yet to matter to me...

so to all of you that have stuck by me...and continue to stick by me...thank you...i will continue to blog as much as i possibly can...and i promise that when the day (wedding) comes and is gone...i will have so much more time to pour into my little world here...and i will do my best to be here for all of you in this time right now...thank you...your time and your friendship mean the world to me...

here's a little cheese for all of you...vegan of course...or not...



and to keep true to this blog...here are a few pics of some of the goodness i have been fueling myself with...these salads have kale, baby lettuce, millet, quinoa, hummus, tomatoes, cukes and a very special dressing inspired by this fabulous lady...i just added some brown rice miso and a little drop of shoyu to it for a little extra...









stay tuned for some cake, vegan and diet friendly, sugar free cake recipes...peanut butter banana bread...and pumpkin banana bread...

i leave you with a couple of questions...

how do you all deal with losing a friend? do you take things personally?

have a beautiful weekend my friends...

i heart legumes...

i definitely have an infinity for chickpeas and lentils...

here is a recipe for a vegan lentil loaf i made last week...really yummy...and filling and quite nutritious...

lentil loaf

glaze

1/4 cup of bbq sauce (i used organicville original)
1 tbsp XXX hot mustard

whisk both ingredients together and set aside...it's a very smoky hot concoction...yum!

loaf

1/2 cup of uncooked millet, rinsed in cold water
1 1/2 cups of water
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup of uncooked lentils, rinsed in cold water
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks diced
8 ounces mushrooms, diced finely
pepper
1 tbsp shoyu
3/4 cup rolled oats, finely ground
1/2 cup chickpea flour

directions:

* preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
* place millet, 1 1/2 cups of water, and pinch of salt in saucepan, bring to a boil. lower heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until water is absorbed.
* place the lentils, water, and salt in saucepan, bring to a boil. lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes, until water is nearly gone and lentils are very soft, with splitting skins.
* sauté the onion, celery, mushrooms and carrots in oil/spray until soft, about 5 minutes.
* mix the lentils, millet, onions, carrots, pepper, and shoyu in large bowl, then mix in the ground oats, and chickpea flour.
* knead mixture for 2-3 minutes to evenly distribute the ingredients and to activate chickpea flour.
* form the lentil mixture into a loaf and place in a greased baking/loaf dish or pan.
* spread glaze evenly over lentil loaf
* bake for 45 minutes...and enjoy...

another wedding post...

ideas...i have so many...so so so many ideas of what i want this wedding to be...i want it to be lovely...and amazing...and romantic...and fabulous...

and i feel so blessed to have such lovely and amazing people along for the ride...my maid of honour is just such a beautiful girl...and some of my maids...they are the most fabulously beautiful friends a girl could ever wish for or ask for...all of them are my sisters...taessa, angela and vernica...honestly, ladies, i say this from the very bottom of my heart...you are all my saving graces...i love you all so very much...

here are some pics that have inspired me...moved me...added to the excitement and exhilaration i am feeling these days...7 months to go peeps...7 months...*happy dance*










































there is a theme here, guesses?

have a beautiful day my friends...let it be filled with love...flowers...and lots of laughter...

i may or may not be a monkey...

bananas are amazing...versatile fruits, aren't they? i adore them...they add natural sweetness...and moisture to any recipe...and when i'm looking for something low fat...low sugar...and healthy, it is the banana i turn to...

am i monkey? yes. hear me roar...

vegan whole grain banana bread cake

dry ingredients:

1 cup whole grain spelt flour
3/4 cup whole grain barley flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 to 1 tsp nutmeg
pinch of fine sea salt

wet ingredients:

3 mashed up bananas
1/2 cup of pure maple syrup
1/2 cup of water
2 tbsp sugar free applesauce

preheat oven to 350 degrees...place all dry ingredients in a bowl, mix well. add all wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk until incorporated. add wet ingredients to dry ingredients...mix well...pour mixture into either a lined and greased loaf pan...or if you don't have a loaf pan, like myself, improvise...and use a 8x8 round spring form cake pan...lined with parchment paper and greased...and call it a banana cake...place loaf pan or cake pan in oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes...you will know it's ready when the the bread/cake springs away from the side of the cooking vessel...

and enjoy...smother it with coconut butter, or any nut butter...or just eat plain...







have a beautiful banana filled day.......

sometimes happiness can be materialistic...and christian louboutin...

no words...just some lovely photos...















love...it's everywhere...

wedding planning...ode to a coriander girl...

with 8 months to go...i would say that john and i are not doing shabbily at all...

venue booked...ceremony site booked...marriage class scheduled for the 26th of this month...dj booked...wedding cake ordered...our engagement party is scheduled for march...invitation appointment scheduled for the month of march as well...photographer is booked...we've chosen our bridal party...HUGE...but filled with only our most beloved of friends and family...and a very beautiful group of people...

john and i have both decided what we would love to wear on our special day...we were driving to meet our dj...and of course i spotted my amazingly fabulous dress in a window on bloor street...



i truly wish i didn't have an issue with spending $8,000 on a dress...but i can't stop thinking about her...lovely layers of lace, each pattern so delicate and so beautiful...with a little ruffle on the top and bottom of her...ahhhhhhhhhh...

composing myself...

onto my john, my beautiful boy...he's in love with this suit...



so far my favourite part of all of the wedding planning...is meeting alison...my coriander girl...the most beautiful girl i have ever met...she embodies all that is good and wonderful in the world...patient...kind...sweet...and ever so helpful...and even though she is quite the busy bee...she has the most beautiful gift of them all...the ability to make you feel like you are the only bride to be in the world...i absolutely adore this lady...and i know, with her help and her guidance, our wedding, mine and the beautiful boy, will be as romantic and lovely has i have always envisioned it would be...from the time i was playing dress up in my mama's closet...and falling asleep with cinderella on my lap...to the time i met him, my fairytale, and knew that one day we would be planning the beginning of our beautiful life together...thank you alison for helping me look forward to our special day with only sheer excitement and absolute joy...

bulging bride to be...and her fitness heroes...a kind cookie...and some chocolate...

yes...it's true...i've gained a few...started a bit of a weight loss journey a couple of weeks ago...and i've lost a few pounds...yay! but nothing noteworthy, that's for sure!

i need to exercise...but right now, i have no motivation...i'm not feeling well...but, when i do start, i am going to channel a few ladies while exercising...i hope to garner all of their strength and willpower...melissa...is a lovely lady i admire...her exercise routines blow me away...she's just amazing...and beautiful...and so dedicated...and i hope to make as much progress as she has...and be as beautiful and glowing as she is...and lori and the twins...i aspire to be as dedicated and as hard working as these amazing ladies are...and i enjoy every tidbit of information they provide almost daily...beautiful beautiful beautiful ladies, love all of the strength you all possess...fabulous role models...

anyhoo...that was a little ode to my lovely lady heroes...

since i cannot afford to go to the gym right now...i have purchased jillian micahels' 30 day shred...and have been taking LONG fast walks with my fur baby...i am determined and i am strong willed...and i will beat the bulge...

so...what have i been fueling myself with? a little of this...and a little of that...mostly vegan fare...sprouted tofu, kale and mushroom bowls...beautiful fresh salads with my all time favourite dressing...sweetly raw's raw vegan caesar dressing, minus the cashews and olive oil...i have whipped up some vegan sugar free and gluten free desserts, cherry oatmeal muffins and coconut oatmeal banana bread to aid my sweet tooth...

yesterday evening, i was in dire need of something sweet and healthy...soooooooo...i decided to make a recipe from alicia silverstone's the kind diet...i made her oatmeal, walnut and dried plum cookies...i made a few substitutions...instead of oil, i used unsweetened applesauce, instead of dried plums, i used dates...instead of walnuts, i used hazelnuts...and i didn't have any molasses...and i also only used about a quarter cup of maple sugar flakes...as that is all i had left...and...yummo! amazing little cookies. next time i make these, i am going to use dried cherries and vegan chocolate chips...





recently, i also had a hankering for reese peanut butter cups...i thought it would be interesting to use a mashed up banana mixed in with the peanut butter...AMAZING! i didn't measure the ingredients...but i can tell you i used one mashed up banana and mixed it with organic peanut butter...melted some chocolate...and assembled this little treat in silicone cupcake liners...





any advice, nice and positive advice, is welcome...

have a beautiful evening...