Breakfast

I love to cook! On the days when I have extra time and I'm not running out the door I love to cook breakfast! This morning was one of those days, no where to be till 1:30. I decided it was time to whip up one of my favourite breakfast items, Tomato and Pancetta Egg Cups. I found this recipe from Canadian Living. I am still trying to perfect it for one. What I really need to do is have a bunch of friends over for brunch and make a large batch of this things.

Its actually really simple to make. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take a tomato and clean it out like you would a pumpkin before carving, salt it and set it upside down on a piece of paper towel. Leave it for 30mins. This takes out the extra moisture and sets the tomato up to be filled with awesomeness. I even blotted mine with a paper towel to get all of the moisture out.

Next place it in a muffin tin or like I did in an egg poacher, this will keep the tomato up right while baking.

Spread a little pesto in the inside of the tomato, you don't need a lot as the pesto will over power the other flavours if you load it in there.

Line the pesto tomato with a single slice of pancetta, making a little nest for the egg. 

Next up crack an egg into your little tomato nest and then top with salt and pepper and a tiny bit of butter. The butter keeps the egg from cracking and drying out while baking. Make sure that you put some water in the empty muffin spots so that they don't smoke and burn. Put in the oven and back for 18-20 mins, to where the white is set and the yolk is still runny.

Personally no breakfast is complete without coffee and I love my french press. So while the tomato awesomeness was cooking I made some coffee.

I also toasted up a piece of gluten free bread from Panne Rizo which is a wonderful gluten free bakery in Kitsilano, on Cornwall Ave. Tomato and toast, how could you go wrong?

Here is what the final product looks like up close. Now what are you waiting for? Go make one!!

It may be raining today but it sure has been SUNNY!

I haven't been blogging lately because it has been sunny in Vancouver. This city gets about 10 months of rain and 2 of sun so when it shows up we do everything outside. I have been doing a lot of this...

Wine and cheese beach time with Karen

Mid week beach bathing with a great book

Walking other people's dogs:)

Watching sunsets at Sunset Beach aka my front yard

And a lot of eating.....

Gluten free pizza with the boys

Homemade gluten free meal by one of my favourite people

Brunch in the sunshine with Em

Cocktails before dancing

Grilling anything and everything!

To even out all the eating I've been going on epic bike rides...

The view from Prospect Point after the crazy Stanley Park loop hill

The view out at The Maritime Museum 

Hit up the race course for what won't be the only time this summer...

Race course with my brother from another mother, Dusty

GO HORSEY GO!

Did a little dancing....

Dress: H&M, Booties: Zara

And I've been hanging out with the coolest kids I know....

My momma and her grandgirls

Brooklyn and Aunty Tiff time!

So its raining today but who cares this summer is going to be AWESOME!

Zesty Lime, Shrimp and Avocado Salad

I made this salad today and let me tell you, it is good!

I made a few modifications when I was making mine and didn't use any of the measurements as I am one person and the recipe is for four people.

Click here for the original recipe.

Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 7/8 cup
Calories: 210.4 • Fat: 9.2 g • Protein: 25.1 g • Carb: 7.8 g • Fiber: 3.6 g • Sugar: 0.6

• 1 lb jumbo cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped*
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced fine (I didn't use the Jalapeno as I am not a fan of heat, and a wuss when it comes to handling hot peppers)
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1 mango, chopped (I added this for more summer flavour)

• Romaine lettuce (I plated mine on top of the lettuce to make it more salad like, less ceviche like)
• 2 limes, juice of
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• salt and fresh pepper to taste

In a small bowl combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.


In a large bowl combine chopped shrimp, avocado, tomato, jalapeño. Combine all the ingredients together, add cilantro and gently toss. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Plate on ripped romaine lettuce.

It makes a great summer salad and it didn't take a lot of time to make, another bonus when you would rather be outside in the sun!

Let me know what you think!

A quick update

Some outfits and some life as seen through my iPhone in the last little bit.

2011

Happy New Year everyone! Hope its been a good year for everyone so far. I want to say sorry for not updating in a while, one the holidays took over my life and second I have left my camera at my parents house on Vancouver Island! I am lost without it. I will do my best to post something, not outfit posts, until I have it back.

Now this post has nothing to do with fashion. Does anyone out there own a crock pot? I am trying to eat at home more, not just because it is a new year but because you can save a lot of money. I'm thinking of getting a crock pot, being a single person means I don't really want to create big elaborate meals for one. I think coming home to already cooked food, and a great smelling apartment sounds great. Plus I am super busy so sometimes I need to eat and go. No time to cook a full meal. I am doing some looking around and it seems that the small ones will work for a family of one. Plus my kitchen is the same size as my closet so smaller is always better. So does anyone have a small one they love? Or a recipe that I should try? I love food and I need to get better at producing it for myself and not always eating out.

I really want a red one since most of my kitchen stuff is red...its my kitchen theme. Maybe even this one, if I can find it anywhere.

The other kitchen appliance I have been lacking is a blender. Lucky for me my friend Alex never uses his so now it has found a new home at my place. Its black but you can't be picky when its free and a good brand. First thing I did was go out and buy frozen berries and yogurt. In fact tomorrow morning I'm making smoothies! Yum!

Two Chefs and a table for 8

Yesterday I got called into work and I knew right away that the second I was finished it was off to the beach. I brought all my beach gear with me to work, hopped on my bike and whipped over to English Bay the minute I was done. See I had fancy dinner to attend at 8 and wanted to fit in bit of beach time before. In Vancouver the second there is enough heat the beaches are packed. We never know how long the hot weather will last and try to make the most of every minute of it. I'll be back there after work today too. Here is what I wore to ride to the beach.

Romper: Urban Outfitters $19 on the sale rack

Sandals: Old Navy outlet $5

Earrings: Hong Kong Street Market $2 

Cuff: Value Village $2

After the beach I raced home to shower and get ready for the World Cup inspired dinner I was going to at Two Chefs and a Table. If you have not heard of this place or been there you have to look them up. The food is fantastic and the people are great. I hear they do an amazing brunch too, but I haven't tried it myself yet. So 8 of us went last night and decided a little dressing up was in order. Correction, I decided I wanted to dress over the top, so I could wear on of my wicked dresses, and Ali was super excited to join. So we decided a little "over the top" was in order. 

Here is my over the top dress.

I really like to give my dresses names so I can keep track. This is the Ladybug dress. I love it! The over the topness of it only makes it so much better! I got it at a great vintage shop on main st at last summer's Car Free Day. Need to go there again soon. I always find something I love in there.

Dress: Vintage at Bohemia Gallery on Main $30

Shoes: Aldo $60

Belt: H&M $16

Purse: Birthday gift from my Ali, also from Bohemia Gallery

Cuff: Value Village $2

Fake Ray Bans: Urban Planet, Two for $5

Hope the summer heat is treating you well,

Love,

Girl!