During the holidays, I love making candied walnuts (and any kind of nut) to sprinkle on top of salads. It adds just the right amount of crunch and the hard caramel exterior melts into the dressing for an extra bit of sweetness. I’m kind of addicted to them. To change things up, this year I made an extra big batch of spicy and salty vegan candied walnuts just for salads, or the occasional snack. I swapped out the butter for vegan margarine to make these dairy-free. It just makes it a bit more friendly to take to parties because I never know what kind of dietary restrictions other party goers will have and I want everyone to enjoy what I bring.
They get their spicy kick from a good pinch of cayenne pepper. If you don’t want them to be super spicy, use less cayenne or leave it out completely. They will still be extra delicious from the other spices.

Spicy and Salty Vegan Candied Walnuts

Ingredients:

2 cups whole nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds)
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. vegan butter or coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (use more or less depending on how spicy you want it to be)

Instructions:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, or grease well. Do not use waxed paper!
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the vegan butter or coconut oil. Add the sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cayenne. Stir to combine then add the nuts. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar caramelizes and turns golden and the nuts are toasted. Remove from heat and sdd the vanilla extract. It will bubble up and splatter a bit, so be careful! Stir well.
Pour the nuts out onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a fork or wooden spoon to separate the nuts into a single layer. Work quickly because the caramel will harden faster than you think. Let cool completely. Use whole or roughly chop. Store in an airtight container or jar.
Sprinkle on salads or eat as a snack.
Yield: about 2 cups

These spicy and salty vegan candied walnuts are very delicious sprinkled on this simple holiday green salad. Get the recipe here.

60-Second Applesauce

This 60-Second Applesauce with hints of cinnamon and maple is perfect for those times when you crave a super healthy sweet treat, or for when you may need some applesauce for baking purposes or other recipes and only have whole apples on hand. This is a quickie must-see recipe with a cute story that inspired me to try it..

Raw..

Simmered:

When life hands you apples. Makes applesauce.

In the Aisles Inspiration.. So I was in Whole Foods the other day, browsing in the baking aisle, comparing my oat brans from wheat brans when a mother and son came galloping down the aisle. The mom grabbed something from the grains section as her young son lingered behind her, having spotted something on the shelves.

"Applesauce! Applesauce! Mom look, applesauce!" He squealed with a passionate yearning in his tiny voice. The mom ignored him for a few seconds.

"Mom, can we get this please! Puh-leeeez! Applesauce!" It was like he had struck gold after digging in the mines for ten years. He was shouting the way I shout when I spot vegan cookies at a mainstream bakery. Finally his mom chimed in, very casually, without even looking away from the cereal box she was holding and scanning with her eyes..

"No no hunny. That stuff has preservatives in it, we make our own."

I silently nodded my head in approval, just about ready to spin around and give this stranger a big thumbs up sign. I restrained myself and we parted ways.

And the moral of the story.. 1) I found it adorable that this tiny boy craved applesauce the way most kids crave candy! He was blissful at the sight of it. 2) That little boy made me crave applesauce! Something I probably haven't craved since preschool. 3) His mom inspired me to get in the kitchen and try homemade sauce. Something I have actually never made before.

Two versions: I love a slow-simmered applesauce, rich with baked apple flavor, but I wanted to try two verisons: raw and simmered. Both using my Vitamix. This recipe worked beautifully and it is just one more thing I now love making in my Vitamix.

Simmered or Raw. Blended raw, this applesauce takes 60 seconds to make. The raw version has a bright and slightly tart flavor to it from all that fresh apple pectin and raw lemon juice. If you want a mellower, silkier, simmered applesauce (which tastes more like the kind you might buy at the store) all you have to do is simmer it on med-high for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour, cool and enjoy.

60-Second Applesauce
vegan, makes 1 1/2 cups

2 large apples, organic (any variety will work, the flavor will vary based o the sweetness and tartness of apple variety)
a few pinches of cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice (optional - keeps sauce from over browning if not using right away + adds a tart accent)
1/2 tsp maple syrup
2-4 Tbsp water (add to taste to achieve desired consistency)

Directions:

1. Roughly chop your washed apple. Squeeze lemon juice and strain away seeds.
2. Add apple, lemon, water, cinnamon and maple to blender. Blend from low to high for 30-60 seconds. Or until your blender purees everything. For fastest blending, use a high speed blender. In a less powerful blender you may need to add additional water to blend.
3. For raw sauce, pour and serve. Or pour, cover dish and chill in the fridge - serve when chilled.
4. For simmered sauce, pour applesauce mixture into a small sauce pot and simmer on med-high for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add additional spices or a few drops of vanilla extract if you'd like. Pour into serving dish, and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Raw applesauce should be eaten same day. Simmered applesauce can be stored, covered in the fridge for 1-3 days.

The simmered sauce becomes a bit thinner, silkier and less textured...

Caramel Apple twist? This sauce would be kinda amazing drizzled with some vegan peanut butter caramel! Like this..

juice fast: day 5

you cannot deny the refreshing nature of this juice. the peppermint pairs surprisingly well with beets; the fresh personality of the mint compliments the earthy tones of the beets perfectly. make sure to serve this with ice and in cute little glasses - it makes it taste better.

sweet beet peppermint juice: makes three cups

large handful of fresh mint leaves
3 apples
1 orange
1 red bell pepper
1/2 cucumber
4 beets
2 carrots

prep the fruits and roots - juice 'em and drink! mmm...

some sad news: my partner in juice fasting decided to go back to solid food today... i am alone once again. i guess doing the rest of this by myself will make me stronger? i don't know. i was really enjoying doing it with someone else. you both can share how you're feeling, mentally and physically. it's great and i really recommend it for anyone wanting to fast. unless you adore solidarity and isolation. 

okay... i do. but it's still hard to fast alone. 

nevertheless - feeling okay today, better than this morning. oh, and i have some GOODS NEWS too: i am buying a new camera today! excellent deal on craigslist (bless you, internet deities). i am so excited about this since it's been quite irritating dealing with the little auto point-and-shoot camera since my good one was stolen (curse you, vancouver island thieves!) PLUS this camera is even better than my previous one. 

i will be busy the rest of the day; having a bath, buying that camera, making more juice, and helping my boyfriend settle more into his new apartment. (i had some strained miso soup today, by the way. i'm fine with drinking that on a "juice fast" because it is a strained liquid, free of fiber - also the salt is wonderful).

xox, em

OH MY RAW caramel apples

You have not lived. 

Not until you make these. I didn't think they'd be so darn delicious. But yet again... I was wrong.
All the different textures and flavours make for an incredible experience.

The best part? These are GOOD FOR YOU. Your body wants them. 

Why? Because they're full of nutrients and vitamins that will help you live long. 

Being "caramel apples", they clearly consist of an apple being covered in caramel. All I did was change my definition of caramel! In the raw food world, my caramel is just dates, water and spices. 

I covered a couple organic apples in that, and chopped up some fresh pecans and threw them on one (I put peanuts on the other). For the final touch, I drizzled on a simple chocolate sauce: cocoa, agave, almond butter. 

Who says raw vegans can't have any fun? These are way better than your regular caramel apples not ONLY in taste, but also because you feel good after eating them. NOT GUILTY. 

Food is love, love is happiness, and happiness depends on health.

So eat healthful foods! It's simple. Sometimes I crave some kind of processed cooked food for a second, like pizza, cookies, chips or other vegan goodies. Then I remember: I can make a BETTER version of it that my body will actually thank me for in the long run. I mean c'mon, you've got no excuse to eat crap when you can eat stuff like this:

I wanted to get a few photos with a bite out of an apple, so I had an excuse to try them =) I took a big, messy, caramel-apple bite... literally stopped chewing and said "oh my god no freaking way" out loud in the kitchen by myself.

I talk to myself a lot.

But with good reason! These taste ridonkulous. And I don't say ridonkulous, so you know they're gotta be nuts (no pun intended). Really though - try these out and share them with your loved ones. Everybody will appreciate it. They're a great Valentines Day present, heeey?

I was noble today and gave mine to Dad after taking a few bites. It took a bit of will power but I HAD to share it with someone, it was so delicious. I only made two, so I'm saving the other one for my brother Greg. 

He's trying to eat healthier and get in shape since he's struggled with his weight for awhile. He actually started his own blog about it! Check it.

He's doing a vegan-week so last night he went to The Naam with his girlfriend and brought me back their raw pie! As a thank you, I made him a caramel apple =) 

It makes me really happy and excited he wants to get healthy. I can tell he's serious about it this time. So I wanna support that as much as I can, and show him how ridiculously delicious and easy eating well can be. 

CRAZY Raw Caramel Apples: makes 2, but you can effortlessly make more

2 Apples on skewers (try to get organic!)

1/4 cup dates   

2 Tb melted coconut oil

Cinnamon, salt & mesquite if you have it

Water, as needed

1/4 cup finely chopped nuts 

2-3 Tb cacao

2-3 Tb agave/honey/maple syrup 

2-3 Tb nut butter

3 Tb melted coconut oil

Blend dates with coconut oil, cinnamon, salt, mesquite and water to get a smooth, thick consistency. You can add more sweetener if you want. Cover the apples completely with the "caramel" and then dip them in the chopped nuts so they stick. 

Then mix the cacao, sweetener of choice, nut butter and coconut oil until smooth. Drizzle it all over the apples and VOILA! Om nom nom. 

Apple Swirl Loaf

Recipe from The Everyday Vegan  wheat-free option, soy-free, oil-free option


Apple Mixture:
1/2 cup diced apple (peeled first)
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup unrefined sugar (I use coconut sugar)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice

Batter:
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (or 1 2/3 cups spelt for wheat-free version)
1/2 cup oat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup vanilla or plain non-dairy milk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp organic neutral-flavored oil (optional, can omit)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  First combine apple mixture: in a bowl, toss apples with lemon juice and then add applesauce, sugar, cinnamon and allspice.  Mix and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients for batter (sifting in baking powder and soda).  Mix well.  In a small bowl, combine milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and oil (if using).  Add wet mixture to dry, stirring through until just well combined (without overmixing). Add apple mixture to batter, and using a spoon or knife, ever so slightly fold/swirl it into the batter (okay to have thicker spots, as above, these will create delicious flavor swirls)!  Pour into a lightly oiled (just wipe with a paper towel) 9" x 5" loaf pan (I use glass).  Bake for 40-45 minutes, until golden and a toothpick or skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

3-Day Apple Fast: Complete

Well... that was easy!

I was contemplating going a few more days this morning, but I decided against it for family reasons. My parents worry. I understand why, but I know myself better than anyone else does so I know what's best for me!

I would say yesterday was my best day. I was very uplifted, spiritually speaking; and experienced several personal insights. Physically, I had tons of energy and hardly needed any sleep. When you aren't concentrated on food, it frees up a lot of time and energy that you can focus on other things. For me, I focus it on inner knowledge, personal development, spirituality, and I do this through meditation and dreaming.

Speaking of dreams... during the fast I had pretty unusual dreams (for me) and not in a good way! They were all fairly dark and negative. I don't view this as a bad thing. Balance is always needed and 99% of the time I have great dreams, so as well as with other detox symptoms, strange dreams is one I experienced. I look at it as repressed emotions unveiling themselves and being eliminated.

The only thing I really did not like about the past 3 days was my body temperature. I was cold! I used to always be slightly cold. It got worse when I went raw for the first time. That was a year ago. Now I'm always slightly WARM! It was a great transformation. I was basically never cold, no matter my environment or clothing. Raw vegan super powers? =)
But after beginning my fast, I got cold again! I know it's just my blood going away from my skin towards my internal organs, to do some serious house-cleaning. Now that I'm eating other foods again however, I am back to normal. So nothing lost, a lot gained!
 
As gar as food goes: I began the day slowly with a grapefruit a few hours after waking (after a bunch of water of course), then some more fruit later. I know I should've stayed totally raw and quite light all day buuuuuuut  things don't always go according to plan =S 
I went over to my friends house later and ate some couscous sushi. Delicious and mostly raw so I don't feel bad. But still, my body probably would've preferred nothing. Ah well. No biggie.


I'm not sure when I'll begin my grapefruit fast, but it will most likely be soon.
As much as I'd LOVE to say "I'm gonna stay totally raw through the holidays" - I know I'd just let myself down, ha ha.
I love baking so I'll be making all sorts of delicious wholesome goodies, plus I'm sure my mom will make a bunch of vegan dishes for Christmas. I can't resist! So some serious cleansing before and after will be perfect. And at the end of the day, some whole wheat cookies and steamed veggies aren't bad for me, they allow me to share those moments with my family.

I don't think Christmas would be quite the same if at Christmas morning, my family is all sitting at the table eating our traditional cinnamon buns while I crouch in the corner, sipping my green smoothie...

It's situations like that that keep me eating a percentage of cooked food =) And it's NOT A BAD THING. I need to keep remembering that, because sometimes I get carried away with raw foodism. It's not a religion. I won't die if I eat cooked food! >.<

apple fast: day 3

Hey guys. Today's the third of my apple fast. I feel okay.
I think tomorrow I'll start eating other food again. I'll start with a green smoothie (YAY! I miss you, smoothies!) and then later probably have some raw soup... mmm =)

I've been looking into doing a grapefruit fast as well. Same idea, but instead of apples - grapefruit! I love grapefruit and I've read about some really amazing results as far as detoxing goes. Apparently it's supposed to help get rid of cellulite as well, but this isn't really a concern of mine... I'm 18 and pretty fit if I do say so myself.
I'm sure my parents won't be happy about it, but then... like I said in my previous post: you don't understand the philosophy and effects of fasting/cleansing - until you've tried it!

Anyway for now, my apple fast is almost done, and I feel better in general. I'd like to do it longer but my parents get worried. It's okay, I'll do longer cleanses when I move out!

Speaking of which... I have a great idea for my house when I move out. You'll love it. I'll write about it tomorrow! 

I wrote my final this morning and felt great mentally and physically, not weak at all, as my friends and mother were worried about. The third day of fasting is often my fave =) And this is one of the shortest fasts I've done. Because usually towards the end, it gets kinda hard because you really wanna eat. But since this one was only 3 days, I know I could go several more days.

When you fast, the thing people might think is the hardest part is hunger. Ironically this is the least of the discomforts. After the first night you really don't feel hungry at all. It becomes a feeling of lightness, clarity and cleanliness.

Yes, depending on the day and length of the cleanse/fast, you might feel weak sometimes, or even lightheaded.This doesn't sound good. But no pain, no gain!  

Having said that, there ARE many ways you can do a fast wrong, and it can be VERY dangerous. So please know what you're doing before you begin.

 You know it's organic when it looks this gnarly. 

No fake shiny wax coating or GMO red colour here! 

Some other things you might experience are a runny nose, headaches, weird body odor, sweatiness, feeling too hot/cold, unusual and strong emotions, and others.

Basically; these are all signs of detox - so be happy!  Generally speaking, when your system is digesting food, it's eliminating toxins. So when you fast it gives your body the best chance at detoxing as much as possible. It's kind of a dream come true for your system.

Your body is having to stir up all those built up toxins (including repressed/unconscious emotions, as strange as that sounds). When they're stirred up, you feel them! Also, your body is trying to get these toxins out in every way - through your skin, nose, and the main exit, if ya know what I mean. Everyone poops =)
Of course, use your common sense. If any of these symptoms persists or gets really serious, talk to a professional and stop fasting for now. Get informed before  you fast.

Alright, I'm gonna go enjoy my last apple now! Around the dinner table with my family. I think they're having a beef casserole. Ah well, it's local, humane and organic meat. So I don't have a problem =)

apple fast: day 2

Today is going well so far. I slept a looong time (13 hours) because classes are OVER! Yes! One month holiday break, baby =) Having said that... my Philosophy final is tomorrow =S

So after my restful slumber, I drank a ton of water as usual, and studied a little until I was hungry. Then I ate an apple! Later my friend came over and we studied together... then got tired of it and watched TERRIBLE "reality" television. It is amazing how weird people are (we watched My Strange Addiction), you won't believe it.
I had a couple more apples throughout the day and will probably have one more before the day is done, along with some tea. It goes without being said that I'm drinking buttloads of H2O. At least a gallon of water per day, if not more. It's crucial to ANY FAST or CLEANSE.

I feel good. For me, with the previous fasts/cleanses I've done (usually smoothie/juice fasts), the first day is the hardest. It's so easy to think "meh I don't feel like doing this anymore..." and you also feel a little weird and weak: your body's like "hey, what're doing?!". But by the second day I feel good and proud of myself. Unless you've fasted before... you can't really understand the emotional side of it.
You know your body is being given a chance to do some major de-cluttering. Spiritually, you feel freed and lighter. Emotionally, it's also a time of de-cluttering, emotions you don't usually feel come out and are eliminated. Mentally, you have this sense of clarity and pride about what you're accomplishing.

At the end of the day a challenge is always good, if it's not seriously harmful. Even if you don't love it while it's happening, you're so proud when you're done. Moreover, you appreciate your blessings that much more. Do I want to eat the AMAZING smelling lentil-veggie soup my mom is making for dinner?

HECK YES!

(Darn you, mother. She decides to make delicious vegan meals both of my fast nights so far... Yippie.) 

But ya know what, I almost always get to eat whatever and however much I want. This is great, and I'm thankful. But once and awhile you need to fast. Be it from computers, tv, sugar, solid food, ANY food, or whatever! If you're Christian, you should be familiar with Lent. Though I'm not religious, I believe in the idea behind Lent. It calls for people to give up something they love for a period of time, so they can appreciate it more and realize their blessings.
It's the same philosophy here.

On top of that, there's the very important health aspect. You give your system the opportunity to finally get rid of all that build-up and whatever else is stuck in you. It's a total detox.

Bottom line: fasting is healthy for anyone. It doesn't have to be for a month, or even a week; and it doesn't have to be from food.
It gives you a chance to clear your mind, body and soul; as well as learn to appreciate things you take for granted.

apple fast: day 1

Today so far is fine. It was SFU's last day of classes, not including finals. So THAT'S something to rejoice about. I need a break.
I feel okay at the moment, a little tired but that's because I AM tired, and I've only eaten 2 apples today =S Not enough, even for a cleanse. I'm gonna go snarf down another as soon as I'm done writing this. I'm drinking tons of water, as usual. This is really important for pretty much any kind of cleanse/fast I can think of.

I had a lovely walk around our yard and took in the beginning of winter: manifesting itself in the crisp air, curled up brown leaves and flowers, stiff vines, icey pond surface, and the quiet; as nature gets ready to hunker down for another BC winter.
It was sunny today, but I'm really hoping for a storm! They are so fun. On Christmas morning I'm secretly wishing for a crazy blizzard to whip through here. =)

I also had a relaxing, much-needed bath, accompanied by some nice music. You can never go wrong with a hot bath and your favourite calming music. Never.
I am not a shower person =/
OH! And I started watching Modern Family! If you don't watch this show... you SHOULD. It is so funny. My friend and I are gonna get caught up together (it's on it's 3rd season) and I probably won't have to do abdominal workouts anymore because we will be laughing so much. 

Now, I guess I'll eat another apple and (ugh) study more philosophy...  I can't wait til the exam is over. I love what we learn about but it does make your brain kinda tired. So much remembering; something I am not good at.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings. And don't fret! I will be making delicious raw desserts as soon as I'm done with the cleanse. I have thought of lots of great recipe ideas... just you wait ;)
Peace out until tomorrow!

apple fast

*Sorry this post is a little long... I ramble. 

Hey all you good people. Lately I've been feeling a little down, partially because the term is ending and finals are coming up; and also because life just hasn't been that interesting lately!
Don't get me wrong, because you probably just did. I mean that in a special kind of way. Life is ALWAYS absolutely fascinating, miraculous, exciting, sensational and dynamic - it's amazing!

BUT in another kind of way, you also have your own life, in your house, at work and school, etc. See what I'm saying? Life as a whole is forever incredible. But my own specific life, as Emily von Euw in Burnaby... is a little less exciting than the life of the universe as whole. Although, I could even disagree with that and say everyone's own single life is just as intricate, interesting and important... but for the sake of this post, I'll keep it simple.

I am bored.

And I  don't GET bored! So it makes it that much worse. I feel like nothing exciting or new has happened in awhile.
Mentally:  I haven't had enough time to think about things (philosophize) as much, so I am not as in tune with myself as I normally am. I don't like this. I always need to be thinking, and it messes me up when I can't!
Physically:  I've also been too busy to focus on my food and body. Again, this is unusual for me and I am not okay with it. I've been exercising and eating well, that's not the problem. But my mindset has been pretty apathetic about the whole thing; like I don't really care. 

I suppose you could sum up my attitude and behavior of recent weeks as unmotivated.
It's not that I'm depressed or anything dramatic like that. Quite the contrary: I'm just flat out bored! Bored of my diet, bored of my exercise regime, bored of school, bored of (dare I say it?) my friends...
For that last one, I still love all my friends and family to pieces. Really I do. But I want someone new to come into my life, that's all I'm saying. =)

I think the holidays are definitely going to help with this. That includes the one month break we get as well. YES!!! I'm looking forward to making presents for all my friends and family, decorating, thinking of amazing raw dishes to make for the season, maybe meeting new people?
I also need to remember: this is how I work. I go through waves of mindsets. Usually  I am a very happy girl, sometimes a little dark/sad, and sometimes just unmotivated!

I wrote WAY more than I intended to, sorry =S
But there's something liberating about writing all this down... even if no one reads it. Ha ha.
This brings me to the actual TOPIC of this post: my apple cleanse!

As said, I want something new and refreshing to mix my lack of excitement up. I've decided to go on an apple cleanse for a few days. Why? After I fast or cleanse I feel renewed, lively, and totally motivated in life. So it's actually the perfect thing for me to do in this case.
Plus, we have barrels of local organic apples in our garage, which we pick up via CSA box every two weeks. They are outta-this-world delicious of course, but we can only eat so many!
So we've got a bunch extra right now. I think I'll bake an apple pie as well. But right now we don't have Earth Balance and I don't want to work with dairy butter.
Don't worry, I'll also make a raw apple pie - they are SO GOOD.

All of the above withstanding: an apple cleanse is the perfect solution to my present boredom dilemma. And when I'm finished with it - I'll be on holidays!
I think I'll go for about 3 days or longer, depending on how I feel. I'll probably eat around 10 apples per day (or more, or less!), again it depends on how I feel.
For my workouts, I'll mellow them out a LOT, and just do yoga and some trampolining each day.

So that's that! We'll see how this goes.

nature's fertility (in our own backyard)

This season we had an in interesting collection of harvests.
Our kiwis have finally started to grow! We've had the plant for about 7 years and it's never produced fruit before... or even flowered. But this summer we were getting itsy bitsy, baby kiwis! Perhaps next year they'll be edible! It's one of my favourite fruits so I am quite anxious.
We were able to pick all our grapes... getting the last of them today. They make the most refreshing juice you've ever tasted. Unfortunately it wasn't a very hot summer so they didn't get as much sun as they should. But they're still tasty, just not as dark. I think they're so lovely-looking.

Much to my despair; our figs did not ripen before the winter came =( I was really looking forward to eating fresh figs from our yard. But again, there just wasn't enough sun to get them past their green stage. And figs are one of those fruits that don't ripen after being picked. So... maybe next year I'll get to taste that fresh fig =/
I also picked the last of the kale and swiss chard, and that's about it. Last of the season's abundance! See you in spring, garden.

Had to add this last picture =) I WISH it were from our yard... but we cut down our apple tree a few years ago because it was infected. These are from the CSA that we get bi-weekly - fresh, local, organic apples!!! You really can tell the difference. 
In addition to grapes, kiwis, figs, and greens; in the according seasons we also grow/have grown blueberries (the reason I live!), strawberries (oh yeah... I live for these too), carrots, onions, garlic, pumpkins, pears, cherries, apples, potatoes, beets, beans, and many more plants I can't remember at the moment. Who says you can't grow your own food in the city!?

last farmer's market of the season

As the title explains; last Saturday was the last farmer's market until the cold BC winter passes. My heart is weeping. I have no idea where I will get my greens at the moment... I may have to buy inorganic. Agh. Problem. Oh well, I'll figure it out.

So I stocked up on as many greens as I could, my diet this week will be mostly green smoothies --- YAY! Dream come true. Just finished one while I was doing my math homework. I kept saying "yuck"; describing my feelings towards the math, but then I had to apologize to my smoothie because it sounded like I was saying it was gross.

Yes, I talk to my smoothies.

Luckily, we use the CSA box system to get organic, local apples ALL winter. Thank goodness. I'm definitely in an apple-loving period right now. I wanna eat them all the time. They're so crunchy, juicy and delicious.

Apples are great for cleaning out your system and hydrating your luscious skin.
Apples are a food I will only eat organic, they are the most contaminated plant food there is, when it comes to pesticides. Check it out here. Yilk. No thanks, chemicals.

In the spirit of the season, we also bought some GORGEOUS GOURDS. They're all so different and funky lookin'. They're gonna be decorating the house for awhile. I have named them all =)

See you in a few months, farmer's market! You will be missed.
I guess I'll have to find a winter market downtown. It just won't be as convenient.