Jan

THE POWER TEN / 10

some of my favorite links this week. rounded up and presented with a sweet bow!

have a wonderful weekend everyone. be safe, be loving and be loved.

anything to add. find me on my fb page or instagram and let’s talk.

1. my good buddy and creative coupterpart from university’s home was featured in this months designlines magazine. check. it’s a real beaut.

2. in light of the attacks in paris last week, one self-proclaimed celebrity muslim has this to say. i dig it. can you?

3. i found this because i’ve been thinking about switching up the colours of a few pieces of furniture, but am not willing to reupholster right now and think i might just give it a try. anyone else want to take on this challenge?

4. i really want to learn arabic. let me rephrase that - i want to understand and comprehend the language of my book and i’m thinking this might help. anyone heard of it?

5. all of this. every last bit of advice.

6. my soup exchange is in one week. have you got your ticket yet? i’m still debating which soup to make. what do you think of this one? ahh… decisions decisions. check out my pinterest for more soup inspo.

7. i follow the dalai lama on facebook. this is what he had to say the other day. what a prayer, what a man.

8. nigeria. a few months ago i read a book called half of a yellow sun. it was a glimpse into the everyday at a time of war. it was based in the 60’s and it’s so sad to see that it’s happening again. on what seems to me to be a far worse scale. i’m trying to pay more attention to these things that matter.

9. discovering the best of instagram is made easy with this beautiful app. i found this gorgeous feed from the uae recently. timely as i am now preparing for our family’s first overseas vacay there. check out these photos from @genyvb.

10. you keep me safe. i’ll keep you wild. fair trade, no?

1 month ago Short URL Comments

ART/BOOKS/DESIGN/FOOD/LIFE/LITTLE GEMS/PEOPLE/PLACES/SPACES

designlines magazine/soup exchange/tahsin dhirani/tahsin the good/the power ten/weekend links

Jan

CAUSE / SEE THE GOOD X 20x20x20

i made my decision on which cause to support with the proceeds from the soup exchange coming up as well as all the other exchanges planned for this year. i mentioned in this post that i wanted to give back and help those who cannot see or have a hard time with their vision. it’s something that affects me on a daily basis (-7.00 and -7.25 anyone?) and with the aid of glasses, regular optometry visits and care that is so readily available here, i can.

i know this is not the case for so many around the world.

so i set out to research various causes in this realm of giving back and in doing so i came across 20x20x20. it’s a charity that aims to restore vision to blind adults and children in very poor and rural areas. you see, without vision there are so many things you just cannot lean into. be it small things like being invited to play or big things like not being able to provide for your family. and without proper life-essentials education, or a place to learn to live with your disability, it becomes so difficult for many of these people to thrive, let alone survive, in their own ways in their lives. “the WHO reports that 60% of children die within 1-2 years of going blind. whether you are 8 years old or 80 years old, in most developing countries they say a blind person is like a “mouth with no hands.”” - 20x20x20

it’s just bleak. and that is no way to live.

this charity has somehow found a “miracle surgery” that takes as little as 15 minutes and costs $300 to perform. it also aims to empower local doctors and nurses with the tech and training to provide these life-changing procedures. so its like a win win win. it just seems like the right fit.

so since the exchange is $11*, i have upped the number of guests to 30 from 25 so that we can collectively provide one person their sight.

to me, that’s huge.

mother teresa, that bad-ass good girl, said, “if you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”

this is me doing what i can with, what i’ve got, where i am. and i hope you will join me and some friends in doing that. the exchange is on january 24th from 1-4 pm. it’s a ladies only thang. sorry, fellas and kids. it’s our time to connect, share, inspire and most importantly nourish ourselves socially and spiritually and obviously, physically. trust me when i say, there will be much simple, colourful deliciousness that will make your tummy full.

you can buy your tickets here. please, if you are planning on coming, get your tickets sooner than later, because the last day to get them is one week from now. and the earlier we sell out, the earlier we can start preparing for you all! and the more prepared we are…well, you know. it’s just so good to be prepared.

thank you with all my heart!

*one dollar from each donation will be going towards admin fees. sorry guys, but i cannot seem to escape that.

Jan

THE POWER TEN / 9

hey hey! here are some links and things that have been clogging my phones safari quota. had to clear some out for the eventual new and thought i’d record them here/share a few with you.

have a warm and wonderful weekend.

1. the soup exchange is set for jan 24th. have you got your tickets yet? wouldn’t this nihari be an awesome soup to add the to mix?

2. a new-ish shop on the block.

3. came across this website the other day. so much natural goodness here. think I might try making this for me and some friends soon.

4. we love oliver jeffers in our house. daani recieved the day the crayons quit for her birthday this year and it’s pretty freakin hilarious and very imaginative if you ask me. since we have the alphabet on our brain lately, this one might just become our new favourite. note. the day the crayons quit was only illustrated by mr. jeffers, but his hand is sooo nice.

5. it’s a vice for a reason.

6. i am equally scared and hopeful for the future when it comes to my girls and their (and my) realtionship with tech after watching this movie.

7. a stunning look at turkey. not the gobble gobble kind.

8. the secret’s out. this trail is where you want to be on a cold winters day. so sharpen those skates, pack some hot chocolate and bundle up. it’s the canadian thing to do.

9. psa! prints in the shop can be customized. don’t let all that pink deter you. your home is filled with nudes and greens and blacks, no problem. just add a custom colouration item to your cart and select which colour you’d like.

10. laugh out loud, trust your gut, and find time for a little solitutde and reflection this weekend.

Jan

CAUSE / SEE THE GOOD SOUP EXCHANGE

ok guys, the soup exchange date in january has been set. i hope you all follow along on my instagram and already marked your calendars when i announced the date there a week back. if not, now’s your chance - save january 24th from 1-4pm for some major yumminess in richmond hill.

you can purchase your ticket to reserve your spot here in my shop right now.

“ticket?” you ask.

well, yes. you see, the way the exchanges work is that there are a limited number of spaces for participants, and there is a buy-in/donation to the cause we are collectively raising money for. this year i hope to collect funds from the different exchanges i’m planning for a cause that i hold dear to my heart - eyecare and sight.

it’s something that affects me on the daily. i am practically blind and if not for the care i receive here in canada, i would not be able to function as i do. and at times i’ve taken that care for granted. but as i’m getting older and the more i think about it, i realise i am so blessed that i have the ability to see which then, among other things of course, allows me to work. and be inspired. being such a visually based person, i sooo rely on my sight. and i feel for those who do not have this essential sense.

so that’s generally what your donation will be going towards. i haven’t yet affiliated myself with a specific organization, and am totally open to suggestions in this area. if you are aware of an amazing charity or non-profit or school that you think i should know about, then please share. i will let you all know what i end up deciding on.

so back to the soup. i’m excited to be co-hosting this one with one of my most favourite cooks, sally. check out her insta for some mouth watering-food inspo. i am soo ~~lucky~~ blessed to be able to share meals, that she has cooked, on the regular and am happy for you that this is your chance to taste even a fraction of her skills in the kitchen.

once you’ve bought your ticket all you have to do is make one big pot of soup and divide it into four 500mL mason jars to bring. and then you get to sample a variety of feature soups, munch on the perfect partner to a warm bowl - sandwiches, hang out, chit chat, you know, all that good stuff and then go home with four different soups. it’s the perfect amount for a hearty and healthy lunch during the week. trust me, you’re going to want in.

and it’s fun. so it’s a no-brainer.

if you are not feeling super inspired right now, that’s ok. why not think international? you could go moroccan harira, vietnamese pho, pakistani nihari, southwestern taco, canadian mushroom barley, thai tom yum. i could really go on here!! i made this persian soup jough the other day and it is so. so. good.

you decide if you want to try something new, or go with your own personal specialty.

if you’re still feeling unsure of what to make check out my soup pinboard for some inspiration from all over. some of my faves right now are this, this and this.

so if you are free and want to hang out, please click here to reserve your spot. and if you can’t make it, but still want to contribute to this cause, whichever one it ends up being, you can send me a message and we can work something out.

i really hope to see you there.

ps. stay tuned. my ridiculously easy and nutrient-filled stock recipe is coming this week. so start saving your scraps and bones!

1 month ago Short URL 2 Comments

CAUSES/FOOD

20x20x20/soup exchange/tahsin dhirani/tahsin the good/toronto events

Nov

SOME THINGS / 4

1. all smiles at breakfast time is golden.
2. this past weekend was a rainy one. so fort building was on the agenda and i think it’s gonna be a thing in our house from now on. or at least for this long cold winter we are about to enter. it’s such a cozy thing to snuggle under blankets together and read a gazillion books together.
3. baby legs and new pj’s. that is all.
4. oh hello. this is toque 2/2 and i’ll be wearing it for at least half of the time you see me for the next 6 months. don’t tell me i didn’t warn ya.
5. daani’s been real helpful lately. everything she does now is because she’s “this much” (said while holding up three fingers.) i love this extra confidence and sense of capability in her.
6. a semi-throwback of me and him from a few weeks ago. we have almost no pictures of us anymore. so when i saw this on his phone i grabbed it immediately for my own records.
7. attempted beet frites yesterday, and they were eh…. gotta experiment with the cook times a bit. i still chomped them all up, the girls… not so much. i snacked on them while preparing dinner and topped our salad with a few of the extra crispy ones.
8. new print up in the shop. for me it’s a reminder of who this is all for. a You and only You kinda thing.
9. a little blurry mirror selfie. maybe not the prettiest, or most clear shots, but i like it.
10. we almost switched niyya’s crib into a toddler bed this weekend, but i got cold feet even though we switched daani from crib to bed at about the same time. i can’t, or maybe just don’t want to imagine her as a big girl. im being a little too sentimental about this, but if you can’t be sentimental about your own kids, then who on earth can you be that way with?! it will have to happen soon though, daani wants to be able to hang with her sissy in the mornings and after quiet time. she want to crawl in her bed and cuddle with her and “take all the things.”

Nov

EAT / ROASTED CAULIFLOWER & LEEK SOUP

my sister and i decided a few weeks ago that we wanted to do a weekly soup exchange. we were making a big batch of soup for the weeks lunches and some dinners anyway, and thought why not just mix it up a bit and share. and we didn’t want to wait for my annual (yes, i’m calling it annual even though i have only had one, it’s the intention that counts!) soup exchange that’s being planned for january, we want soup now. i got sally on board and now we have a threesome! we see each other every wednesday already for family dinner, so the tradeoff can happen without any disruption to our already busy schedules.

these days i finalize my meal plans, that now include a soup, after i go to the market because i’m trying to get inspired by the fresh produce there. and most weeks there is a bit of carryover in my crisper so i take a little of the old and a little of the new and come up with something.

i think my sister was nervous i’d make her an apple based soup since i was going three/four weeks strong on that tip. apple squash, apple zucchini, apple apple apple. i knew i needed to diversify my ingredients and to her luck (and mine) i came across a really delicious soup on jeanine donofrio’s blog, love & lemons, using cauliflower and leeks. i was searching for a soup with leeks, but did not want to use potatoes and voila, this one caught my eye!

it’s creamy, cloud-like and flavourful.

come, have a bite.

i didn’t have cashews, marjoram or white wine vinegar like the recipe calls for, so i subbed in sunflower seeds, coriander powder and white rice vinegar. i guess that’s the consequence for my new method of meal planning, but i look at it as being resourceful and a little bit creative in the kitch. isn’t that how the best recipes are developed anyways?

ps. thinking of starting a soup exchange? do it! i’d suggest keeping it to four committed peeps that live close by, or that you know you will see on a regular basis, who you think are good in the kitchen. i mean, you wouldn’t want to trade your awesome soup with a sub-par one right? just kidding. haha ;) check out my soup exchange post for a few guidelines on getting one started.

pps. in case you missed the link to the recipe above, it’s here. and seriously this blog is so good. lots of great easy and seasonal meals, beautiful imagery that makes you want to eat everything up, and a really well-rounded use of vegetables for a non-vegetarian food blog. bookmark that.

4 months ago Short URL Comments

FOOD

food/jeanine donofrio/love and lemons blog/roasted cauliflower and leek soup/soup/soup exchange/soup ideas/soup of the week/soup recipes/tahsin dhirani/tahsin the good

Oct

EAT / ROASTED ZUCCHINI AND APPLE SOUP

this is not a soup exchange soup, but i’m telling you right now, you are going to want to bookmark this.

i get inspired by what i have in my fridge.

sometimes when i cook i don’t always have a plan as to what i’m going to make and i get inspired by what i have in my fridge. or what’s lying around. the other day, this was the case.

i roasted zucchini the night prior because, well, i like to have roasted veggies around. they are great for adding into sauces for dinners or paninis for lunch. so anyway, i roasted up a bunch, with the intent of adding stock and few spices to make a soup.

then i realized i have a whole bagful of apples from our latest field trip just sitting and waiting to be used.

so i did what i usually do when i have two random ingredients. i type them into google and see if anyone else thought to combine the flavours. like, does it exist, it is a thing. i don’t like to waste good food, so i’m not that experimental in the kitchen. only kind of…

well, lo and behold, apples and zucchini is a very common combination! with that knowledge and boost of confidence I went ahead and played with my ingredients.

the results were a creamy mix of slightly sweet full-bodied flavour.

here’s how you make this soup.

roasted zuchini and apple soup

all you need is

4 zucchini
olive oil
coarse salt
1 nub of butter
1 medium onion, diced
1 nub of fresh ginger, grated or minced
1 apple, i used honeycrisp
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste

and all you have to do is

roast zucchini. (i’ll go over this quickly, but will make a quick post about how i roast and store a variety of vegetables soon. such a simple and high impact way to add flavour to your meals.) slice the zuchini, lay on a parchment lined baking pan, drizzle with olive oil and grind some coarse salt over top. place in an oven at 350 for 45mins-1hr. you can flip or mix your batch up part of the way through or just leave them be. either way you end up with major flavour with many uses.
heat butter in a stock pot.
add in onions and ginger and sautee until onions are translucent.
add in the apple and continue to sautee for another 7-10 minutes or so.
add in the zucchini and continue to mix, mix, mix.
add in the stock and let it sit so that all the flavours can inufuse.
blend to desired consistency. i wanted a creamy soup, so i blended until there were no chunks left.
add salt and pepper to taste
serve with your favorite soup toppings such as goat cheese, pepitas, hemp seeds, sundried tomatoes or our new fave, alphabet pretzels!

what i love about this soup is that it was so simple to make and uses seasonal produce. and obviously that it is freaking delicious. i had my oldest friend over for a playdate with our girls and it was ready in a flash and gone in about that much time too!

try it this week will ya?

5 months ago Short URL Comments