What Im Wearing

Far too much romance for blogging this weekend folks! Mario and I discovered $3.25 Pints @ Hudson's on  13th Ave SW and 4th St, sampled delicious baked goods at Sunterra Market on 1st SE and hit the Glenbow Museum for Fred Herzog's Street Photography exhibit - really worth checking out.

It was a warm day in our so called frigid city... no need for a jacket. So naturally the question becomes, which sweater?? With a pair of light floral jeans, I like to keep the top within the same tonal family to avoid it looking too fussy.

Pants, Bluenotes

Sweater, Kohls

Sweater, Winners

Sweater, H&M

FYI - Didnt end up wearing any of these. Wore black jeans, blue mens button up, navy knit on top w/ combat boots and beanie. Preppy AND edgy.

What's For Dinner - EASY Mushroom Chicken

Since tomorrow is 'Grocery Shopping Day' - tonight's  dinner had to come entirely from the pantry/freezer. This recipe is simple, rich tasting and the oven really does the work for you. You can serve your mushroom chicken with mashed potatoes/vegetables or rice, but I'm making mine with egg noodles and some extra veggies.

 OVEN @ 350

YOU WILL NEED:
Splash Olive Oil
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can sliced mushrooms **Chopped fresh mushrooms are better if you have them
1 cup Milk
1 Clove Garlic CHOPPED
1/2 cup Grated cheese
1/2 package egg noodles
1 zucchini chopped
S&P + 2 tsp poultry seasoning

1. Rub S&P and poultry seasoning onto chicken and brown in a skillet with a small amount of olive oil.
2. Place browned chicken in baking dish with vegetables.
2. Combine milk and soup, garlic, and cheese and pour over Chicken and Veg
3. Bake for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through
4. Serve over egg noodles/mashed potatoes or rice + a big salad.

What I'm Wearing

This was the first thing I tried on this morning, but my hopes for bare thighs were dashed when I opened the balcony door. BRR!

Doesn't change the fact that I love the combo of the sexy body-con dress and thigh highs with decidedly un-sexy accessories like a military jacket and beanie. This type of juxtaposition always makes for an interesting outfit, and is a super easy styling trick to try with your own closet.

Dress, Joe Fresh

Socks, Jacket, Glasses, H&M

Hat, Ardene

I ended up in my coziest ZARA sweater with a pair of TOIGHT grey skinnies - I topped it with a matte black down jacket cut like a motorcycle jacket. 

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Jeans, Tote, Glasses, H&M 

Boots, ALDO

Hat, Ardene

Sweater, ZARA

  Back home later this afternoon, I wanted something a little comfier. If I were wearing it out, I would add something dramatic at the neck, and wear with my fave little booties. Its a simple navy blue knit which I picked up on sale recently (between seasons is THE best time to get deals!), paired with a pair of Uh-mazing pants I found at WalMart if you can believe it! theyre a loose fit, in a light cotton, with a great ethnic print and a  paperbag waist.

Sweater, Laura

Pants, Walmart

Boots, ALDO

20 Minute *light* Carbonara!

This is one of our all time comfort foods, and a go-to on a cold day. Its suuper simple, even though it looks like a restaurant dish! Ready in 20 minutes, and all the ingredients are in your kitchen!

YOU WILL NEED:

Spaghetti

Bacon/Pancetta

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup pecorino/Parmesan Reggiano

S&P

1TSP Parsely 

1. *Timing is important here* Heat skillet to medium/high and bring pot of water to a boil.

2. Put bacon/Pancetta in skillet, and drop pasta.

3. MEANWHILE - mix cheese, milk, pepper, salt, parsely, and egg WHITES in a bowl *set yolks aside in separate bowl*

 4. When bacon/pancetta is done, chop and SAVE fat. When pasta is done - drain and return to (low heat) pot.
5. Moving quickly - add fat, pancetta, and sauce mixture into pasta. Stir to combine
6. Egg yolks will thicken sauce as you stir into pasta.
7. Portion into bowls, topping each with egg yolk, parmesan, and parsely.

**SERVE IMMEDIATELY - heat will cook yolk as you stir it into the pasta!** 

Bedroom Headboard DIY

Today I came across this IKEA meter fabric I had saved during the move - I KNEW I'd find a home for it.
Ideally, I would stretch it on a large canvas stretcher, or use it to upholster a simple headboard - but since we are renting and on a limited budget as we save for a house - we hung it from floor to ceiling for HUGE impact and NO cost.

For me, there is nothing sexier than a soft set of WHITE sheets. I got this set from Joe Fresh, a great quality waffle knit cotton that makes our down comforter feel even more luxe. I like to keep my bedroom simple, and throughout my (many) moves - often stick to black and white, bringing colour only with a few accessories. Here I use a Magenta silk pillow as the ONLY colour in the room. Everything else remains neutral and calm.

*The frames at the side of the bed need to be hung. However I will hang them behind the lamps, as opposed to eye height as usual. It makes it feel more personal, as if they are meant to be on the bedside table.

DIY Project!! Dining Room Canvas

LOVE having the day off with Mario! Today we decided to tackle a project I've been super excited about - a HUGE canvas that we found in the basement of our building! It had already been painted but we hated it - we decided to paint over it, and make our own! 

First we gave the canvas a thorough wipe, to ensure that the paint adheres.

Next, we used a white acrylic paint, and applied with a foam roller for a smooth and consistent finish.

  

Once the canvas had been evenly primed and left to dry.. we got to the fun part!

We picked a few different greens and blues as well as a white and black (which you should always keep on hand for home projects to darken/lighten the colors you already have). We blended a few colours, and added water to some for different shades, and consistencies and went crazy!

FINISHED PRODUCT !! 

Im really happy with the way it turned out! I think if we had gone any further it would start to look juvenile. Sticking to a colour palette, and leaving enough negative space can create a luxe collectible look for WAY LESS!

What 'Im Wearing

I'm a total sucker for black. In fact I worry that a 'What Not to Wear' intervention will punctuate my forties - my crime would be wearing black everywhere- always. Some women can make it their signature (Vera Wang always makes it stylish) but it can often look lazy. 

YOU MUST ENSURE that an all black outfit has interest through DETAIL and TEXTURE!

Here I added a vest, a tote and hat to elevate my otherwise black uniform (leggings and slouchy sweater).

Tote, H&M

Boots, Walmart

Sweater, Laura 

Vest, Diesel 

Hat, H&M

Devonian Gardens - A Hidden Rainforest

How often does one find a hidden rain forest right in the middle of the city, on the top floor of a shopping mall?? Not often - but we did! The Devonian Gardens is on the fourth floor of the TD Centre in the CORE and it is BEAUTIFUL. Tropical birds fly among the treetops, Koi swim happily in a pristine pond, and the flowers and plants thrive in the warm, 'sunny' greenehouse. There are bistro tables scattered throughtout, and a food court not too far away, so its naturally a favorite lunch spot for downtown workers.

What I'm Wearing

So yesterday, I wanted something flirty- but not OTT - So I chose this bright aqua lace peplum top, and put it with simple DARK wash jeans and platform booties. You could wear a camisole under yours - but I think the candy color of the top and my braided blonde hair made the risk of my bra showing TOTALLY okay. My hair was pulled to the side in a simple loose braid, and my make up was light w. kate moss #101 lipstick (super light pink)

 Top, Bluenotes

Jeans, Joe Fresh

Booties, Kohls

I topped my look with this black wool tweed motorcycle jacket (which i LOVE) and a grey leather clutch.

Tweed Jacket, Forever21

This is my daytime look today, I started with my fave little H&M tshirt dress and tights... then added a knee high sock...

Then a light navy knit sweater, and finished with accessories (not pictured). I wore a simple bib necklace, knee high boots, and a pair of aviators.

Im loving the versatility of the light knit this sweater has - makes it easy to wear OVER something else, or as its own casual statement, It also has gold lurex running through it, to make it more than JUST a blue sweater!

Here it is with casual jeans and a scarf - great for a weekend look (as long as each peice has interesting detail!)

 Heres that Loose braid - super simple. Just pull hair to the side and braid starting at the ear. Use bobby pins to secure runaway sections at the back. I secured mine with a small ribbon at the bottom - adorable girly detail!

Whats for Dinner - Sesame Chicken (Lettuce) Wraps

These Wraps are SUPER tasty and are ready in under 20 minutes! Tastes like take out - with half the calories, and NONE of the cost! 

YOU WILL NEED:

-Ground Chicken (1 package - or you can use finely chopped chicken breast)

- a couple of handfuls baby carrots

- Green onions

- 5-10 Mushrooms

- You can add extra 'asian stlye' veggies here too eg: water chestnuts, enoki mushrooms

- BOSTON lettuce (for wrapping) OR tortillas

-Sweet Chili Sauce (or plum sauce for dipping/drizzling)

-Dark Sesame oil

-1/2 cup chicken broth

-2 tablespoons soy sauce

-1 tablespoon sugar

-1 tablespoon cornstarch

1. Heat skillet on Medium/high. Chop carrots into teency sticks (julienne), mushrooms coarsley and green onion finely.

2. Cook chicken until its no longer pink *season with S&P* - add all veggies to the pan

3. While the veggies cook, mix cornstarch, broth, sugar and soy sauce into a slurry - and add to skillet

4. Cook until sauce begins to thicken and coat everything.

5. Spoon mixture into lettuce/tortilla wraps and garnish with fresh green onion and a drizzle of sweet chili sauce!

ENJOY!!!

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!

What's For Dinner- TOAD IN THE HOLE w/ Roasted Veggies and Onion Gravy

This year Ive been really inspired to cook. And not just to cook- but to produce fresh, well rounded and adventurous meals *trying to limit frozen and packaged foods*! I really enjoy the process now, and LOVE serving my food to an enthusiastic and hungry table. Don't get me wrong, there have been disasters and let downs, but worst case scenario is ordering a pizza and learning something - that ain't bad.

For inspiration, the Food Network, and awesome recipe books help a great deal. If you dont want to commit, hit the library! One of the first things I did when I arrived in Calgary was get my library card - Its only a block away and is a great place to spend an hour, reading and learning. I bring home a few cook books, and try a few recipes that look plausible!

 

MY TWO FAVE RECIPE BOOKS - NO FAIL BUYS!

Claire Robinson's "5 Ingredient Fix"

ONLY 5 ingredients means EASY and CHEAP everytime!

 

 Gwenyth Paltrow's "My Fathers Daughter"

Great recipes with healthy, vegetarian and vegan adjustments too!

*IM OBSESSED w/ GWENNY, check out goop.com*

 

 

 

Todays recipe is traditional British Fare. First time Ive ever made it and it turned

out amazing!!  Would be awesome and unexpected at a potluck :)
 

TOAD IN THE HOLE

Prep: 5 Mins  Cook: 30 Mins

 

 

HERE WE GO - OVEN @ 400

YOU WILL NEED:

Sausages (Your favorite kind)

3/4 Cup All purpose Flour

1 1/4 cup Milk

2 Eggs

S&P

Parsley

*Fresh Veg for roasting (I used roughly chopped orange pepper, coloured mini potatoes, and broccoli)

Gravy :

1 small chopped onion

Splash of milk

Generous Squirt of Mustard

2 Boullion Cubes (beef), 1 cup boiling water + 3 tablespoons flour (blended)

Big glug of white wine *not for you, silly*

 

 

 

1. Sausages into the oven in lasagna dish for 10 Minutes/ until they are starting to brown. (Drain any fat and SAVE)

2. Meanwhile - Throw chopped veg in a separate tray, and heat a skillet on medium heat - add onion w/ white wine to pan

 

3. In a bowl, combine 3/4 cup flour, S&P and parsley. Create a well in the middle, add2 eggs and a splash of 1 1/4 cup milk.

4.Stir -and as it begins to combine, add the rest of the milk and switch to a whisk. Whisk well, add parsley and put in freezer while we wait for sausages.

 

-almost there-

 

5. Pour batter over sausages - return to oven w/ veggie tray for an additional 15 minutes (until batter rises and browns)

6.  GRAVY - when onions and wine have sweat down and become limp and sweet, add boullion/water/flour slurry to skillet - Whisk

7. Whisk in any fat you reserved from the sausages, a squirt of mustard and a splash of milk. Gravy should thicken up (if not add a little corn starch slurry, or whisk in a touch more flour)

8. Remove all from oven.

9. Slice Toad, and serve w/ veg and gravy on top!!

 

*These coloured potatoes would be perfect at a party as a substitute for sweet potatoes in my homemade chip recipe (CHECK superbowl snackeroos post)*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I'm Wearing

Today was warm, but a little breezy- Spring with a bite. Mario and I are feeling slightly under the weather- but I'd never miss an opportunity to get dressed- so I threw on my toastiest scarf, black wedges and ran some errands feelin confident and warm. A gnarly wedge bootie will make you forget a runny nose like no ones business. It's a fact - look it up.

During the day I wore this - casual and simple but the hat and wedge booties added a little boho slant. I think its important when wearing a very simple outfit, to add interest through texture and detail. In this case, my leggings have leather down the sides, my scarf is an extrasoft luxurious knit and what seems like a plain white tee is actually speckled with color (like rainbow cake -mm).  This ensures that your outfit remains stylish and simple, as opposed to sloppy and PLAIN.

Leather leggings, Ardene

Speckled Tee, Burgundy hat, H&M

Booties, Kohls

Scarf, BCBG

Jacket, Old Navy

On my Travels today I grabbed these odd leggings on sale at H&M ($8) and thought they were a wicked alternative to a plain black. What looks like camo is actually a horse print up close. I love shades of green with neutrals (white, beige, black and grey) but one of my faves is Navy blue - Ill be hunting for a navy sweater to go with these bad boys.

Heres some looks I played with when I got home, and what Im wearing now!

White Linen Long sleeve, Zara

'Camo' Print Leggings, H&M

Black Leather & Suede Tote, H&M 

Watch, Vintage

*Totes are going to be big this summer, promise. Simple in structure, and just about the easiest to wear. This DOES not mean use your old beach tote as a purse. This seasons trend lies in the ease and class of luxe materials and lively colour as an UPDATED classic*

Beige SUUUPER soft sweater, Fairweather (Too cheap to be true)

I do love a sloouchy sweater!! 

*Always pair with an opposing silhouette to avoid unnecessary bulk* 

Same Pants, scarf, and bag - Hair UP + Oversize Glasses.

Sweater, Laura

Booties, ALDO