Browsing Tag

yyc food

Create, DIY, Occasions, Pantone, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

DIY | MISTLETOE-INSPIRED WINE CHARMS

Hosting a New Years Eve or holiday party, and need a last minute idea to kick your decor up a notch? Add a thoughtful touch to your soirée with my DIY Mistletoe-Inspired Wine Charms! They’re cute, easy and inexpensive to create — all you need is seasonal greenery and berries, hoop earrings and copper wire in various colours. And the best part is that you can make them in less than an hour, for about $20! These wine charms are a fun way to help guests keep track of their drinks at a cocktail party, and they can also take them home as a keepsake and dry them. And if you’re hosting a New Years Eve Party, they may also come in handy at midnight!

December 30, 2015 by Justine

Entertain, Occasions, Pantone, Wine & Cocktails, Winter

SPARKLING POMEGRANATE CRANBERRY SANGRIA

I really love sangria. I love it so much that sometimes my girlfriends and I are referred to as The Sangria Sisters — and I’m not mad at it! I also like to eat (and drink) as seasonally as possible, so I created this holiday sangria recipe inspired by seasonal flavours, Gatsby glam, and New Years Eve bubbly. Traditional sangria gets a luxurious makeover in my Sparkling Pomegranate Cranberry Sangria — I’m swapping wine for bubbles, and infusing the recipe with flavours of pomegranate, cranberry, orange, and ginger, plus a healthy splash of Grand Marnier to send it over the top. Enjoy this sangria at your holiday parties, or to ring in the New Year, because as the great F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.” Cheers!

December 23, 2015 by Justine

Dairy Free, Dessert & Treats, Food, Gluten Free, Occasions, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter

DARK CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY ENERGY BITES

I believe that if you’re going to treat yourself, you can nourish yourself at the same time — so this year I’m putting a whole food spin on traditional holiday sweets. These are my kind of treats — the ones you feel really good about indulging in (sometimes I even have them with my morning coffee!). Next time you’re looking for a quick, no-bake, holiday party treat, try my Dark Chocolate Raspberry Energy Bites! They’re a healthier alternative to traditional holiday truffles or rich, chocolate-based desserts. They’re also vegan and free of gluten and refined sugar — perfect for parties where guests have food sensitivities and allergies. You can whip these festive little bites up in just 10 minutes, and keep them on-hand for last-minute guests, holiday gatherings, or all for yourself!

December 9, 2015 by Justine

Dairy Free, Dinner, Food, Gluten Free, Lunch, Paleo, Salads & Bowls

TANGLED THAI SALAD WITH GINGER PEANUT SAUCE

Fall flavours are great and all, but this week I needed to switch things up — I was craving something light, fresh and colourful! Today I’m sharing the recipe for my Tangled Thai Salad — a simple, healthy salad overflowing with veggies and plant-based protein (including the best Ginger Peanut Sauce, ever). I love to make a big salad for dinner when I feel like I need a some extra nourishment, and the extremely brown landscape in Calgary lately has left me craving come colour! My recipe is a crowd pleaser — I’ve served it for many girl dinners (for those of you who are new, I have dinner with my college girlfriends every week!). I also share my tips for making your salad look pretty when you’re serving it as a main course — because we eat with our eyes first, right?!

November 15, 2015 by Justine

Breakfast, Dairy Free, Fall, Food, Gluten Free, Smoothies & Juices, Vegan, Vegetarian

SPICY PUMPKIN PERSIMMON SMOOTHIE

I think this was the year that my favourite season changed, from summer to autumn. Not only is it the most beautiful season, I truly believe that fall flavours are the best — it’s the time of year I feel most inspired in the kitchen, and always come up with tons of new recipes. If you’ve been with me for awhile, you know that I love to add unique ingredients to my smoothies. I drink smoothies and fresh juices a lot — it’s is the easiest way I can make sure I’m properly nourished, even when I’m super busy. But, I get bored easily, so I never make the same smoothie more than a few times!

This fall, I’ve been really into making my own pumpkin puree (it’s easy, and I tell you how I do it in the post!). It’s so much better than store-bought. One day when I was experimenting, I tried some in a smoothie, combined with sweet and creamy persimmon, and spicy fall flavours like fresh ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. This is one of my favourite smoothies yet — it tastes like an indulgent treat, but it’s brimming with healthy, nourishing ingredients!

October 28, 2015 by Justine

Entertain, Food, Summer, Wine & Cocktails

WHITE CITRUS SANGRIA

Sangria has been my summer beverage of choice for as long as I can remember, so over the years my friends and I have perfected the recipe! Our White Citrus Sangria is a crisp and refreshing white wine-based drink that’s perfect for summer parties, backyard barbeques, or even camping. This sangria is really easy to drink (maybe a little too easy!) and people who don’t drink wine usually like it, too. It’s a crowd-pleasing recipe that’s fun to make with friends, so next time you’re entertaining, try it out — it always gets the party started!

July 11, 2015 by Justine