hoppy easter

Wishing you all a happy and healthy Easter weekend! xx

smoked salmon salad

I find smoked salmon is one of those foods that people either love or hate. If you're with me in that you love it, this salad is for you. Simple and delicious - it will definitely become a summer favorite. You can get a package of smoked salmon at the grocer for less than $10 that you can keep in the freezer until needed. I paired the salmon with easy, fresh ingredients and everything tasted so good together. The arugula has a peppery taste, the onion is crunchy and the avocado is perfectly creamy. 

How to make:

1 pkg smoked salmon

6 tbsp cream cheese 

1 avocado - sliced

1/2 red onion - sliced thinly

4 cups of arugula

sliced baguette

Spoon a little bit of cream cheese onto the end of a piece of smoked salmon and roll up. Slice onion and avacado, and dress the salad. Combine everything onto a plate. You can crisp the baguette to serve on the side.

Dressing: 

Combine juice of half a lemon, 1tsp of dijon mustard, 1tsp maple syrup, salt, pepper. 

Whisk in olive oil until desired consistency is achieved.

cameo stadium collection

I'm in love with about 99.9% of the Cameo Stadium collection - both Northern and Southern Hemispheres.... Still trying to figure out how the collections are named, but after seeing the jean skirt here, I had a feeling there'd be more greatness to come. The shapes and colors are fun while still being very wearable. Shop all the collections here.

spring pairings

I tend to wear a lot of black, white and grey but I have to admit I'm excited to add some pops of color into my daily attire as spring starts to blossom. Whether in a graphic t-shirt, a silky blouse or a bedazzled necklace - these sunshine filled days we've been enjoying are really inspiring me to switch things up.

I'm curious, what Spring trends will you be rocking with the warm weather just around the corner?

 

{ Joe Fresh shirt & necklace - both currently in stores}

{ Old Navy blouse + J Crew necklace }

{ Aritzia shirt + Forever21 & Aldo necklaces }

dinner party preparation

I'm somewhat of an organizational freak. Always wanting to schedule, make lists and make sure every last detail is in place. Regardless of my personal tendencies, when grocery shopping for a dinner party, I think lists can be very helpful. I'm a big fan of grocery shopping and know my local store very well, so I organized my list according to the way I shop the store (i.e. deli then bakery then produce then dry/canned goods). I also went to the store today in preparation for Friday - that way if they don't have anything I need, I have time to look elsewhere. I also like to remind myself to check the cupboards for things I might already have.

My goal in terms of food for the party is that I essentially want to make a table long version of the tastiest cheese platter ever. For me this includes cheese, crackers/bread, fruit, nuts, olives, pickles, pate, meat and sauce/tapenade/chutney, etc. Nothing too complicated, but I'm hoping that by keeping it simple we can really just enjoy some wine and cheese and girl talk.

dinner party favors

I'm hosting a dinner party on Friday night and thought I would share some of my tips and tricks for hosting a fun and enjoyable party as I prepare throughout the week. 

Today's post is focused on the small favors I've made for each guest. I've realized one of my favorite things to do, is to give. And while I'm on a pretty tight budget these days, I think it's always the thought that counts. I picked up some jars from the local dollar store, and some Easter themed candies from the bulk food store. I used a stamp to personalize the tags and voila! Simple and cute sugary finish to what I'm hoping will be a wonderful night.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I made these jars a little different for D's cousins' kids. They're the cutest little girls who love jelly beans. And I love playing the older cousin who spoils them with candy at every chance I get! :)

summer sneaks

 { Superga & Bensimon }

To further my post about the ideal summer uniform - I don't think there's anything greater than a fresh pair of white sneakers. My Converse got ruined at a concert and have officially been dubbed my outdoor concert shoes - in that they couldn't possibly get any dirtier. But a nice pair of white sneakers to pair with a flirty dress or a crisp pair of shorts - nothing cuter. The best part about both of these styles is their affordability. Should they show wear from a wonderful four months of summer, it's not the end of the world to get rid of them. I would love to go for long warm walks in either pair of the above.

hatch collection ss13

{ 1, 2, 3 }

I can't get enough of Hatch Collection's Spring/Summer Collection. I've loved the brand for a while now and they always impress with their wearable, comfy, beautiful designs. I'm not one of their pregnant shoppers, but I sure would love to own one of their pieces regardless. The flowy, airy, easy-to-wear dresses pretty much sum-up what I feel a summer wardrobe should encapsulate. While the pieces do run a little on the pricier side, I wouldn't think twice about investing in any piece. All of the above have been added to my (once I get a job and have money again) wishlist.

celebration cookies

If these aren't a Monday pick-me-up in cookie form, I don't know what is. I have officially dubbed these the celebration cookies - that will be made to celebrate exciting things from this point on. The best part is that while they look all happy and celebratory - they taste like a party in your mouth. The cookie has just the right amount of sweetness, a strong vanilla flavor and a sugary crunch from the rainbow jimmies. A really good cookie. And I mean you just can't help but smile when you see them - a rare added bonus to any food.

{ I used about 2.5 containers of rainbow jimmies/sprinkles }

{ Each dough ball is rolled in the rainbow jimmies. So I set up a cookie assembly line }

{ They were cute even before they were baked }

{ And even cuter after! }

{ As always, D is the official taste tester - these cookies passed with flying colors }

Find the recipe HERE.

happy weekend!

Spring is approaching. The days are brighter for longer and the sunshine filled days make the cool weather bearable. I've got no weekend plans, but am hoping to spend some time outside and get a game of tennis in. Oh, and attempt to avoid eating the Easter treats! Have a great weekend.xx

breakfast of champions

D watched a cooking show recently where the chef made eggs. He took note of all the tips and has since been making us the most delicious eggs every morning. I put my own little twist on them today adding green onion and Balderson cheddar and devoured them. I always added milk to make my eggs fluffy and seasoned them before cooking - both tricks that apparently aren't useful! I thought I would share what we've learned...

1.) Heat the pan up hot, hot, hot and melt your butter/heat your oil.
2.) Turn the heat down to low right before adding your eggs.
3.) Whisk your eggs for a solid minute or more.
4.) Don't add anything to the eggs before putting them in the pan. No S&P. No liquid.
5.) Keep the eggs moving in the pan, stirring constantly. Don't overcook.
6.) If you're adding cheese, stir it in at the last second so that it melts to get gooey and stringy.
7.) Season once the eggs are served.

Maybe this is all common knowledge? But I've been so impressed with our eggs as of late, that if it wasn't common knowledge, I thought it should be. Egg-cellent eggs are on the rise.

simple metal

{ via }

Loving the simple, natural, artistic feel of these earrings. Wouldn't they look great with a good blow out and white blouse?

st. lucia wanderlust

{ via }

I'm getting to that point in the winter, where I'm over the cold weather and would do anything that would allow me to escape to a warm, sunny beach. A few years ago D's parents took us to St. Lucia for a week and when a blogger I follow mentioned she's going this weekend it brought back such fond memories. The hotel they're staying at looks beyond amazing and it has me hoping that we're able to return on our own one day. The people were so friendly and we did a fun island tour - something I'm not usually fond of. They have banana fields everywhere, and Les Pitons are such a beautiful focal point of the island. The island is small enough to tour in one day, which really left us with a familiar, almost homey feeling by the end of the trip.

Have you ever been to St. Lucia? Would you ever want to visit? What's your favorite beach location?

color blocked book shelves

{ via }

I'm so inspired every time I see shelves of books sorted by color. It's such a fun way to enhance the look of a bookshelf stuffed full of books. I also like the way the books are aligned vertically and horizontally in this shot. I think our book collection has a little ways to go before we accomplish any sort of similar look, but that's a challenge I will approach and take on willingly.

poppytalk

{ via Noemiah }

I love just about everything in Poppytalk's Spring Lookbook. The formatting of these online magazines/lookbooks are the coolest - maybe I'm behind the eight ball and just catching on, but I think they're super neat and so fun and easy to browse through. 

The coming of Spring is bringing with it such fresh colors, light prints and an airy and bright feel - it's about time winter just took off. I adore the choice of artist's prints in the lookbook, especially the one called Wave. And I can't help but dream of rocking the gorgeous white feather and amethyst necklace, I've become slightly obsessed...

Mildred's Temple Kitchen brunch

This post is meant to get you ready for the weekend on this dreary Wednesday hump day. I have good news, I've found the best brunch in Toronto! This is a big claim, but I've taste tested three times, and I'm pretty confident that what I've claimed is true. Veda's Choice - their take on eggs benny - a fresh baked croissant with herbed bernaise sauce and fresh smoked salmon (or rosemary smoked bacon) with poached eggs. Then whatever choice you make should definitely be accompanied by a side of Blueberry pancakes - they're amazing. And don't you dare go without having a Ceasar (or two) to help make Sunday morning a little bit more bearable.  Go. Eat. Enjoy.

maple, bacon brussel sprouts

Brussel sprouts... One of those foods you dread and despise without even having eaten them. Well, after tasting these tasty little morsels, they'll be moved over to your "vegetables I love" list. Not necessarily the healthiest veggie dish, but a nice alternative to the go-to typical choices. 

How to Make:

3 cup of brussel sprouts 

3 tbsp of maple syrup

3 tbsp butter

4-6 slices of bacon

salt & pepper to taste

1. Wash brussel sprouts and cut into quarters. 

2. Cut bacon strips into smaller pieces. Fry until crispy. Take out of pan, set aside.

3. Using half of the bacon drippings, add in butter and melt. Stir in brussel sprouts. 

4. Let sprouts brown a little bit and stir in maple syrup. Let syrup reduce and thicken. 

5. Finally, add the crisp bacon back into pan. Stir and combine. Serve.