It’s the height of summer here on the Alberta prairies — which means our saskatoon berries are ripe and ready for picking! Longtime readers will know I have quite an affection for this quintessentially Albertan berry, and every August, my saskatoon recipes become the most viewed pieces of content here at JustineCelina. Today I’m compiling them all for you in one convenient location with this 4 Healthy Saskatoon Berry Recipes roundup, as well as sharing Where to Pick Saskatoons in Alberta! If you’ve always been intrigued by these antioxidant-packed berries but have never known what to do with them (or where to find them!), you’ve come to the right place! Consider this post your one-stop resource for everything you’ve ever wanted to know about saskatoon berries as I share my favourite saskatoon berry picking spots and tips along with 4 plant based saskatoon recipes incorporating them into seasonal breakfast, baking, salad, cocktails and dessert!
Have you ever tried a saskatoon? While they’re sometimes called Serviceberries, Juneberries or Prairie Berries and resemble blueberries, they actually taste quite different. Believe it or not, Saskatoons are actually more closely related to roses (hailing from the Rosaceae family) and have a deeper, richer, nuttier flavour that’s somehow wilder than blueberries — it’s very distinct and difficult to describe! Saskatoon berries also pack a nutritional punch, containing high levels of protein, calcium, iron, and antioxidants — making them a wonderful addition to a balanced diet. If you live in an area where saskatoons grow, I highly recommend getting out to sample them for yourself while crops are at their peak. With the intense heatwave we’ve been experiencing lately, this year’s crop will likely fade before mid August — so there’s no time like the present! Since the season is fleeting, I was eager to publish this roundup for those of you looking for extensively tested saskatoon recipes that utilize local, seasonal ingredients and are free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar. If you’re picking saskatoons this summer and are looking for some fresh ideas (or details on my favourite saskatoon u-pick locations), I’ve totally got you covered!
Happy Saturday, friends. How’s everyone doing? These are certainly strange and uncertain times. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine blogging about this topic, under these circumstances! But like many of you, I’ve been reflecting on how I can best serve my community in this time of need — and its been so heartening reading stories of individuals and businesses stepping up to care for one another. I’ve always taken great comfort in preparing nourishing meals for myself, my family and my friends — and that extends to all of you! In light of recent world events and the different realities we’re all currently facing in this unprecedented situation, this week I focused on what I could do here at JustineCelina to help. As we spend more time in our homes over the next few weeks (or months) and adapt to a new normal, we’ll inevitably be cooking and eating more meals at home — something I’m very passionate about. So, I rescheduled the pretty cocktail I had originally slated to publish on Spring Equinox (which is now live!) to bring you 28 Plant Based Recipes Made With Pantry Staples, Frozen Food and Sturdy Produce — the ultimate resource in feeding yourself and your family well, and economically, during this challenging time.
I’ve scoured my virtual recipe box to compile 28 extensively tested, plant-based, inexpensive, easy to prepare, immune boosting recipes from breakfast through dinner (with snacks in-between!). Each of these recipes are free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar, but many also yield large batches — which are perfect for families, meal prep or freezing to ensure you have nutrient dense meal options on hand. I’ve always been one to keep a well-stocked kitchen — the majority of my recipes focus on inexpensive but versatile, plant based, pantry, freezer and fridge staples that pack a nutritional punch. I’ve also sprinkled this mega-post with ingredient substitution ideas and tips for maximizing the life of your produce, so you can make the most of what you have on hand (this is actually how my most inventive recipes are conceived, food never goes to waste in my kitchen!). We’re all in this together — so if you’re craving some time in the kitchen cooking, baking and recipe making, I’ve got you covered!
Fellow tequila and mezcal lovers, I’m elated to share the first my first recipe roundup dedicated exclusively to cocktails with my 5 Festive Cinco De Mayo Cocktails post! If you’re a fan of my better-for-you libations, you’ll know my love of tequila and mezcal runs deep — as does my adoration of Mexican culture. Over the past decade, we’ve been fortunate to spend quite a bit of time in Oaxaca (specifically Huatulco — one of my favourite places in the world!) and discover many fantastic artisanal tequila and mezcal varieties, visit agave farms and learn about authentic spirits and cocktail making from the locals. In fact, our home bar is always stocked with several varieties of tequila and mezcal from our travels — and I typically have a few Mexican-inspired sips in development at any given time! So today, in celebration of Cinco de Mayo, I’ve rounded up my most popular tequila and mezcal based cocktails — which all happen to be vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free! Hey, life is all about balance, right?!
While we may be celebrating Cinco De Mayo digitally this year, that doesn’t mean we can’t do it over a fantastic cocktail (or 5!). Can I interest you in a Green Jalapeño Margarita, Gingered Cara Cara Grapefruit Paloma, Watermelon Frosé Margarita, Hibiscus Blood Orange Mezcalrita or a Creamy Coconut Mango Mezcalrita? There’s never been a better time to learn how to shake up a Mexican-inspired cocktail in the comfort of your own home — all you need is a cocktail shaker, a bottle of your favourite tequila or mezcal and a few simple, fresh, supporting ingredients. Join me for a crash course on tequila and mezcal (plus recommendations to pair with each recipe) as we shake up a few festive cocktails tonight in celebration of the vibrancy and resilience of Mexican culture!
Backed with a Bachelor of Design in Visual Communications and 13 years of professional experience in the advertising industry, JustineCelina‘s creative work and lifestyle content has been published in print and featured all over the internet! Here you can browse features on Apartment Therapy, Brides Magazine, Brit + Co., Buzzfeed Food, Country Living, Domino, Elle, The Everygirl, Food Bloggers of Canada, Food Network Canada, Green Wedding Shoes, HuffPost Living Canada, Hunker, Junebug Weddings, My Domaine, Narcity, PureWow, Redbook Magazine, Style At Home, Style Me Pretty Living, Tourism Calgary and more.
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Each holiday season as New Years Eve approaches, all of the Prosecco, Champagne, Cava and Sparkling Wine cocktails I’ve created over the years here at JustineCelina begin trending. So, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to publish this 5 Sparkling Prosecco Cocktails for New Years Eve roundup and organize them all for you in one convenient location, for easy browsing reference! If you’re staying in this New Years Eve, it doesn’t mean your celebrations need to be any less glamorous or special — in fact, quite the opposite. Whether you’re entertaining an intimate group and looking for large batch prosecco cocktails you can prep in advance, ringing in the new year with someone special or hosting a bubbly New Years Day brunch for your closest friends, you better believe I have a cocktail for that!
To send the year off in style, I’m thrilled to bring you this spirited roundup of my most made, reviewed and featured sparkling cocktails — my all-time-favourite New Year libations featuring an array of Prosecco, Champagne, Cava and Sparkling Wine from around the globe. As always, these festive, sparkly sips are extensively tested, made with fresh, seasonal, better-for-you ingredients and free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar — because I believe in balance in every area of life. I invite you to slip into something fabulous, pop a bottle of your favourite sparkly beverage and join me for a serious dose of NYE cocktail inspiration. Wishing you all a very happy New Year filled with love, laughter and lots of prosecco — and all the best in the new year!
‘Tis the for a festive pout — and as a self proclaimed red lip aficionado (I’m not ashamed to admit I own 30+ red lipsticks!) I’m thrilled to share My Top 5 Red Lipsticks for the Holidays with you! Although I don’t incorporate red into my holiday decor, it’s a colour I love to wear, as well as translate into my BEAUTY routine during this festive time of year. A gorgeous red lip is the perfect way to make a casual look feel more festive — but it’s also a sophisticated compliment to your holiday party attire! I firmly believe red lips give you superpowers — and in December, I find myself reaching for my favourite red shades almost on the daily. After years of trying and testing an absurd amount of red lipsticks across an expansive range of shades, undertones, formulas and price points, I’ve curated the absolute crème de la crème this holiday season!
My Top 5 Red Lipsticks for the Holidays feature my all time favourite, festive red lipsticks — the true gems of my collection that I look forward to pulling out each holiday season! As always, I’ve included a variety of products ranging from traditional, long wearing (and mask friendly!) liquid lipsticks, to natural, vegan products to elegant, hybrid formulas. This dedicated review post in my recently introduced MY TOP 5 series is brimming with try-on photos, swatches and application tips — plus lip liner recommendations to pair with each shade to create a full, defined pout that can withstand all the eating, drinking and being merry you’ll be doing this holiday season! If you’re ready to add a bold, seasonal dose of colour to your holiday beauty wardrobe but have never been able to find a shade that works for you, you’ve come to the right place! Pour yourself a juicy glass of red and get ready for a serious dose of holiday glam, coupled with an introduction to colour theory and my best tips and tricks to find your perfect, festive red lip. My Top 5 Red Lipsticks for the Holidays also make marvellous gifts for the beauty lover in your life!
Fig season is upon us — and I’m back today with a fresh, summer meets autumn sip to celebrate! My Rosemary Fig Japanese Whisky Sour was actually conceived at the height of quarantine back in April (when we were encouraged to limit our grocery runs as much as possible) — another exercise in using what we had on hand to to whip up a comforting COCKTAIL at home. Despite this recipe using fig preserves (rather than fresh figs you see photographed), I waited patiently for fig season to bring this inventive cocktail to life — simply so I could make it as beautiful as possible! And while I never thought I’d be incorporating Japanese whisky or egg whites into a cocktail — here we are. 2020 has been full of curveballs, but one thing is has been good for is nurturing my mixology skills and pushing me to create more resourceful, experimental recipes! There have been many a Rosemary Fig Japanese Whisky Sour consumed this year as this recipe underwent an intensive testing process to ensure it was shaken to perfection — and I’m elated to finally bring it to JustineCelina this fall!
My Rosemary Fig Japanese Whisky Sour is a deliciously luxurious juxtaposition of fall flavours and textures that you can shake up at home. This creative cocktail is creamy, smoky, sweet and sour — enveloping your tastebuds in early autumn inspired warmth! Premium Japanese whisky (thanks to Adam’s latest spirit obsession!) combines with egg whites (with a vegan option), fig syrup, bitters, fresh lemon juice and a sprig of rosemary, shaken into a comforting sip that celebrates quintessential fall flavours in cocktail form. If your looking to satisfy your cocktail lounge cravings at home this autumn, look no further! Dust off your shaker, slip on your fuzzy slippers, light a fire and learn how to shake up this sumptuous, seasonally inspired Japanese whisky sour in the comfort of your own kitchen. Cheers to breaking out of our cocktail comfort zones with beautiful, seasonally inspired ingredients!
